On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the Cincinnati Museum Center and the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center are announcing a major exhibition on the concentration and extermination camp.
"Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away." is the largest collection of artifacts from Auschwitz outside of Europe. It includes more than 500 artifacts and 400 photographs. Among them are shoes, eyeglasses, toys, clothing, hundreds of other personal objects that belonged to survivors and victims.
"The Holocaust is not just a chapter in history, it's my life," said Henry Fenichel, a retired UC professor and Holocaust survivor whose father died in Auschwitz, speaking at a news conference announcing the exhibit.
"It's the story of my father who was murdered in Auschwitz, and it's the story of countless others like him who never had a chance to speak and to live their life. For those who survived, the responsibility is to tell the story, and it's never been more urgent."
Some 1.3 million people were deported to Auschwitz during World War II. The vast majority were murdered within hours of deportation. In total, 1.1 million people died there, including 1 million Jews and tens of thousands of Poles, Sinti, Roma, Soviet POWs, Jehovah's Witnesses and people deemed "homosexuals," "criminals" or "inferior."
RELATED: Holocaust survivor returns to Auschwitz with 100 relatives
The camp was liberated by the Soviet Army on Jan. 27, 1945.
"In Cincinnati, we have an important and specific opportunity to share the history of Auschwitz and its survivors," says Elizabeth Pierce, president and CEO of Cincinnati Museum Center. "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."
Objects in the exhibit come from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and more than 20 other international museums. It will be supplemented with curated stories from local Holocaust survivors who settled in Cincinnati after World War II, many of whom arrived here by train, passing through Union Terminal.
LISTEN: A Holocaust survivor on her harrowing story, and what she hopes we can learn from it
"Union Terminal stands as a beacon of hope, a space for civic conversations and a reminder of our collective responsibility to learn from the past and inspire a better future. This exhibition builds on the powerful legacy of our local Holocaust survivors, whose courage and stories continue to shape our community and guide our mission,” said Jackie Congedo, CEO of the Holocaust & Humanity Center.
It will open at Union Terminal on Oct. 18, 2025.
The museums are financial supporters of Cincinnati Public Radio.
