Holocaust Survivor and Warsaw Jewish Museum Founder Marian Turski Dies at 98

Marian Turski, a Holocaust survivor, historian, and co-founder of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw, passed away at the age of 98. His death was announced on Tuesday by the Polish magazine Polityk, where he had contributed as a columnist.

Turski, born Moshe Turbowicz in 1926 in Druskienniki, Poland (now Druskininkai, Lithuania), survived the horrors of Auschwitz and later became a leading voice in preserving Jewish history and advocating for human rights. His family was confined to the Lodz ghetto from 1940 until 1944, when they were deported to Auschwitz. Turski endured death marches to Buchenwald and Theresienstadt, where he was eventually liberated.

After the war, Turski settled in Warsaw. Though he initially embraced communism, he later distanced himself from the regime, particularly during Poland’s antisemitic campaign of March 1968. Despite the complexities of his past, he maintained his integrity as a historian, ensuring that his life's story included the full spectrum of his experiences.

As chair of the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute in Poland from 2000 to 2011, Turski played a crucial role in establishing the POLIN Museum, which opened to international acclaim in 2013. The museum stands as a testament to the rich history of Polish Jewry and a reminder of the dangers of intolerance.

“Mr. Turski shaped the museum’s mission and ethos,” said the American Friends of POLIN. “He understood that it must be a museum that stands in solidarity with the oppressed and marginalized.”

Turski’s advocacy extended beyond history into active human rights engagement. In 1965, he participated in the historic Selma to Montgomery civil rights march alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His experiences during the Holocaust fueled his lifelong warning against indifference to discrimination and hatred.

At the 75th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation in 2020, Turski delivered a powerful message: “Do not be indifferent towards discrimination against minorities, harm and violation of human rights.” He proposed that “do not be indifferent” should serve as an “Eleventh Commandment.”

In his final public address at the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation earlier this year, Turski again warned against the rise of antisemitism. “We see in the modern world today a great increase in antisemitism, and it was antisemitism that led to the Holocaust,” he said.

Marian Turski leaves behind a legacy of resilience, historical honesty, and a call to action against oppression. He is survived by his daughter, Joanna.

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