Now, more than ever, it’s important to remember some of the worst moments in our world’s history, lest we risk repeating them. As the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz, the Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) and the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center will host an exhibit reminding us of those who were interned at Auschwitz, many of whom lost their lives there.
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. will open at Union Terminal on Oct. 18 and feature over 500 artifacts and 400 photographs from the concentration camp. The exhibit will have the most extensive and comprehensive collection of artifacts from Auschwitz outside Europe, highlighting the humanity of those who died there and offering a poignant and sobering look at the suffering they endured. It also traces the rise of Nazi ideology and how the Polish town of Oświęcim transformed into the camp.
“The tragedy of Auschwitz forces every visitor to bear witness to this horrifying chapter of human history and build a future shaped by remembrance. Especially today, when our democracies are so threatened by an increasingly strong wave of populism and demagoguery, we must understand our own responsibility to create a future free from antisemitism, racism, and all ideologies of hatred,” Piotr Cywiński, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, said in a press release.
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. was created by Musealia, a Spanish company that creates and manages global touring exhibitions, in cooperation with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. An international panel of experts curated the collection, which includes hundreds of personal items that belonged to survivors and victims of Auschwitz, like suitcases, eyeglasses and shoes. There are also artifacts like concrete posts from the camp’s fence, fragments of an original prisoner barracks, Picasso’s Lithograph of a Prisoner, a desk and other items that depict the world of the perpetrators. More than 20 international museums and institutions participated in this exhibit with special loans.
In the ‘40s, Cincinnati’s Union Terminal served as a major transportation hub for World War II soldiers and was also an arrival point for Holocaust survivors and war refugees. CMC says this history and connection make the museum a powerful and profound space to learn more about and reflect on the atrocities of the Holocaust and the people who suffered.
“In Cincinnati, we have an important and specific opportunity to share the history of Auschwitz and its survivors,” CMC President and CEO Elizabeth Pierce said. “Union Terminal is part of this history, both for liberators and for survivors. With our partners at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, Union Terminal is part of the healing and resilience that continues today.”
Along with the collection, exhibit visitors can also hear stories from local Holocaust survivors who came to Cincinnati after the war.
Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. opens Oct. 18 at Union Terminal. You can learn more or join the waitlist for tickets here.
Cincinnati Museum Center, 1301 Western Ave., West End. More info: cincymuseum.org.
This article appears in Jan 22 – Feb 4, 2025.
