This story is presented by the exhibition “Jewish Sacrifice for Poland's National Defence Fund”, which opened in the National Culture Centre's Kordegarda Gallery in Warsaw.
As Albert Stankowski, the Warsaw Ghetto Museum director, emphasises - the title of the exhibition is “as a testimony and document of the deeds of our brothers for our homeland”.
“This beautiful quote confirms the involvement of Polish citizens of Jewish nationality before the war in the preparations for the defensive war. What is very moving for us today - the objects that have survived, i.e. silver - were everyday objects, balsamines, candlesticks, which often very poor people intended to be melted down for the National Defense Fund”
- continued director Stankowski, speaking for Polish Radio.
Robert Piaskowski, Poland's National Culture Centre NCK's director, pointed out that the exhibition lets the visitors get to know a lesser-known page of Polish history. The Kordegarda Gallery is not large - but it is located on the Royal Route, which is a popular daily walk spot for Warsaw residents and tourists. This venue is dedicated to restoring Polish history by showing its - often lesser known - fragments, while also telling of a greater whole.
As director Piaskowski admits, despite his interest in the topic - he had not previously known the Polish-Jewish figures such as Stanisław "Stach" Likiernik or Stanisław "Rysiek" Aronson, and they were important heroes of the Warsaw Uprising.
The exhibition, in addition to the rescued silver gifts donated to the National Defence Fund, also shows the participation of Polish Jews in the defensive war of 1939, in the underground and in the Warsaw Uprising.
“Jewish Sacrifice for Poland's National Defence Fund” will be open to the public until October 20. Every Friday, the National Culture Centre will also hold the expert-led curatorial tours of the exhibition.
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Source: IAR, PAP
