The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

For four weeks during World War II, around 700 young Jewish freedom fighters, imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto, pushed back against their Nazi oppressors. For 27 days, beginning on April 19, 1943, the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover, this small group battled the much larger German force, putting the Nazis on the defensive. After the uprising was vanquished, however, the Nazis liquidated the ghetto, deporting 42,000 Jews to the concentration camps.

These brave fighters’ tragic end 80 years ago represented the largest revolt by Jews during World War II. Their act of resistance became a touchstone for generations of Jews everywhere, but especially in the United States.

Join art historian Samantha Baskind as she looks back at the uprising, its history and its potent legacy among American Jews. Through paintings, movies, television shows, comics and other cultural artifacts, Baskind will explore the themes of resilience, historical memory and how art reflects society across the eight decades since the uprising first grabbed the world’s attention. At the end of the program, you’ll have a chance to pose your own questions.

A recording of this program will be available to ticketholders for seven days after the event.

Hosted by the Smithsonian Magazine.