In brief
Marian Turski, a prominent Holocaust survivor and advocate for human rights, passed away on February 18 at the age of 98. Through his speeches and writings, Turski warned against the rise of antisemitism and the dangers of indifference toward discrimination and injustice.
The Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews announced Turski’s death, stating he was a key figure in its establishment and had been its board chairman since 2009. He had been a vocal advocate for remembering the Holocaust and teaching future generations about its lessons. In 2020, he marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by expressing deep concern over escalating antisemitism, emphasizing that such atrocities begin with small acts of persecution. Turski famously stated, “Auschwitz did not fall from the sky,” reiterating that vigilance and action against discrimination are essential. During his life, Turski urged people not to remain indifferent to historical inaccuracies or to the suffering of marginalized groups, warning that apathy could lead to the repetition of history's darkest moments.
