The heroes featured in our exhibition are three remarkable residents of Łódź who have left a lasting legacy, not only in our city and country but also throughout Europe and the world. They stand as legends in the fight for dignity and human rights during World War II and the Holocaust, a time when fundamental human values were put to the ultimate test. After the war, they continued their missions amidst new and shifting historical circumstances. They were committed to a broadly understood humanistic ethic: to freedom, democracy, justice, and humanitarianism. The exhibition explores their social and professional commitments well as their personal lives.
This exhibition is a historic first, showcasing the intertwined and parallel lives of these three outstanding individuals. Previously, they were indirectly brought together in separate exhibitions organised by the Museum of the City of Łódź, which focused on Alina Margolis-Edelman and Marek Edelman, as well as Marek Edelman and Jan Karski.
Additionally, each of these three figures has been recognised in the Museum of the City of Łódź since the beginning of the twenty-first century as part of the “Pantheon of Great Łódź Residents” – a series of exhibitions profiling notable Łódź residents, presented in specially designed rooms within the museum. The initiative has since evolved into a contemporary format called “Phenomena from Łódź.”
The exhibition opened alongside two significant anniversaries in 2025: the 25th anniversary of Jan Karski and Marek Edelman being named Honorary Citizens of the City of Łódź, as well as the 25th anniversary of Jan Karski’s death.