The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum mourns the passing of our longtime friend and partner Władysław Bartoszewski. His heroic actions during the occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany serve as an inspiration to Poles and people worldwide.
Mr. Bartoszewski was imprisoned in Auschwitz soon after the German occupation. After his release, he played leading roles in the Polish resistance and with Zegota, the Council for Aid to the Jews, which helped thousands of Jews when doing so was punishable by death.
After the war, Mr. Bartoszewski spoke out against the Communist regime, for which he was again imprisoned. He wrote several important historical books about the German occupation of Poland and the fate of Jews. After the fall of communism, he served twice as Poland’s foreign minister.
In recent decades, Mr. Bartoszewski chaired the International Auschwitz Council, an advisory body to the Polish prime minister, which is responsible for overseeing the site of the camp. He was a leader of Polish-Jewish reconciliation, earning great respect in Poland, Europe, and the wider world.
In 2013, on the occasion of the Museum's 20th anniversary, he was given the institution's highest honor, the Elie Wiesel Award, in recognition of his exceptional courage and leadership, during and after the Holocaust.
He leaves an exceptional legacy that shall not be forgotten.
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