“Henryk Reiss Must Cease to Exist” – curatorial guided tour
In English. Led by: Tomasz Strug, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of the Galicia Jewish Museum
The exhibition “Henryk Reiss Must Cease to Exist” presents the dramatic story of the Reiss family— Henryk, his wife Łucja, and their daughter Elżunia— who hid their Jewish identity during the Second World War and the Holocaust.
In 1942, facing mortal danger, the Reiss family obtained false identity documents— known as “Aryan papers”— under the name of the Daraż family, a Polish, Christian household from Lviv. Under this assumed name, they survived until the end of the war. Unfortunately, almost none of Łucja and Henryk's numerous relatives and friends survived.
The exhibition is based on Henryk Reiss's postwar memoirs and the family’s collection of priceless documents. Nearly 50 artifacts will be on display, including one of the best preserved collections of “Aryan papers” used by a specific family.
The story of the Reiss family is one of fear and courage, sadness and resilience, loss and hope. While the exhibition focuses on a single family, it frames their personal experiences within the broader historical context, allowing visitors to examine the timeline and geographic scope of the Holocaust. The narrative extends beyond the Second World War, shedding light on the difficult realities and challenges faced by survivors in the postwar years.
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