Turski was a Holocaust survivor who not only lived through the atrocities of the Nazi regime but also became a pivotal figure in Holocaust education and remembrance, urging the world to combat indifference toward hate.
Holocaust Survivor Marian Turski Passes Away at 98, Leaving a Lasting Legacy
Holocaust Survivor Marian Turski Passes Away at 98, Leaving a Lasting Legacy
The renowned historian and journalist, Marian Turski, who survived Auschwitz and dedicated his life to Holocaust education, has died at the age of 98.
Marian Turski, a noted Polish Holocaust survivor, historian, and journalist, has died at the age of 98. Born in 1926, Turski's life encompassed the harrowing experiences of the Lodz Ghetto, the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp, and grim death marches during his adolescence. Following the war, he committed himself to educating others about Holocaust history, co-founding the prestigious Jewish history museum in Warsaw and serving as president of the International Auschwitz Committee.
Turski gained global recognition during the 75th anniversary commemoration of Auschwitz's liberation in 2020, when he conveyed a powerful warning, stating that Auschwitz "did not fall from the sky" and stressing that such horrors could occur again. Born Moshe Turbowicz, Turski spent his early years in Lodz before the Nazis invaded Poland in 1940. His family was forced into the Lodz Ghetto, suffering starvation, disease, and forced labor.
In 1944, his parents and younger brother were deported to Auschwitz, where Turski arrived two weeks later on one of the final Lodz transports. Tragically, his father and brother perished in the gas chambers, while his mother was taken to Bergen-Belsen. As the Soviet army approached in January 1945, Turski was among the thousands of prisoners who were forced to undertake death marches, ultimately reaching Buchenwald, and later Terezin, where he was liberated, gravely ill.
Revisiting Auschwitz was challenging for Turski, who likened his memory of the camp to amnesia, recalling only fragments of his experiences. After the war, he spurned opportunities to leave Poland, returning instead to contribute to building a socialist society. He pursued a history degree at the University of Wrocław, eventually embracing journalism and making notable contributions to Polish media.
Prominent speeches by Turski highlighted the importance of recognition and action against indifference, encapsulated in his idea that the Eleventh Commandment should be "thou shalt not be indifferent." He connected contemporary antisemitism to the Holocaust, warning global leaders during ceremonies that inaction could allow history's darkest chapters to repeat.
Marian Turski's wisdom resonated deeply throughout Jewish communities and beyond, with Poland's chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, honoring him as a moral guide. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk remarked that Turski’s words represented a crucial message for our times. The magazine Polityka, where Turski played a significant journalistic role, referred to him as a remarkable figure whose voice echoed across the globe.
