American Memorial to Six Million Jews of Europe facts for kids
| Warsaw Ghetto Memorial | |
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| Coordinates | 40°47′17″N 73°58′56″W / 40.788177°N 73.982325°W |
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| Location | Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Plaza, Riverside Park, Upper West Side, Manhattan, New York City |
| Type | Public Holocaust memorial |
| Material | White granite |
| Dedicated to | The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust |
The American Memorial to Six Million Jews of Europe, also known as the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial, is a public Holocaust memorial. It is located in Riverside Park in New York City. This monument remembers the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. It also honors the six million Jewish people who were killed during the Holocaust. The memorial was dedicated on October 19, 1947. It was one of the first Holocaust memorials in the United States.
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How the Memorial Started
A man named Adolph R. Lerner first suggested a memorial. He was a Polish Jewish refugee and a journalist. He had to leave Austria in 1938 when the Nazis took over. Lerner worked for the official Polish news agency in New York. He edited news from the Polish underground.
In 1946, Lerner and his group proposed an "eternal flame." This flame would honor the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto. It would also remember the six million Jews killed by the Nazis. They wanted it to be called the "American Memorial to Six Million Jews of Europe."
Lerner gained support for his idea. Robert Moses, the parks commissioner, approved the site. On May 2, 1947, Moses sent Lerner a letter. It confirmed that the location had his approval.
On April 27, 1947, Lerner officially created an organization. It was first called "Eternal Light Monument in the City of New York." Later, on May 20, 1947, its name changed. It became "The American Memorial to Six Million Jews of Europe, Inc." Lerner was re-elected as its president. The Mayor of New York City at the time, William O'Dwyer, was an Honorary Chairman.
A wealthy friend of Lerner's, Israel Rogosin, joined the group. He promised to donate money. He also helped raise more funds from his friends.
The Cornerstone Ceremony
On October 19, 1947, a special ceremony took place. A granite plaque was placed in Riverside Park. This plaque served as a cornerstone for the planned monument. Mayor O'Dwyer placed the cornerstone.
About 15,000 people attended the ceremony. This included 100 survivors from concentration camps. The event was widely covered by the news. It received strong support from many important people.
In 1948, Israel Rogosin became chairman of the fundraising campaign. They aimed to raise $600,000 to build the monument.
Why the Original Designs Weren't Built
Over many years, several different designs were suggested. These included an eternal flame and large sculptures. Some ideas were a tall stone pillar with a menorah. Others suggested huge tablets with the Ten Commandments.
Many famous artists submitted designs. These included Jo Davidson and Erich Mendelsohn. However, all these designs were rejected. People thought they were too ugly or too sad. Some worried they would distract drivers on the nearby highway. Also, none of the designs received enough money. The effort to build a large monument stopped in 1964.
One large monument was approved in 1952. It was to be sculpted by Ivan Meštrović. The government of Yugoslavia even offered to donate the granite. But this monument was never built. Over time, the granite plaque itself became the memorial.
What the Memorial Looks Like
The memorial is a square white granite plaque. It sits in the middle of a large plaza. A metal fence surrounds the plaza. The plaque has these words carved into it:
This is the site for the American memorial to the heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto Battle April–May 1943 and to the six million Jews of Europe martyred in the cause of human liberty.
Underneath the plaque, two boxes are buried. These boxes contain soil from two concentration camps. One is from the Theresienstadt Ghetto. The other is from the Sereď concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. A scroll is also buried there. It describes the defense of the Warsaw Ghetto. The Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Isaac Herzog, wrote it in Hebrew. It was translated into English by Rabbi David de Sola Pool. The scroll says:
This monument set up in New York in the name of the people of the United States of America stands as a memorial of the unparalleled horror committed by the fiendish inhumanity of the Nazi leaders of the German people during the years 1939 to 1945 in destroying six million Jews, one-third of the whole Jewish people.
Plaza Restoration
In 2001, the plaza around the memorial was improved. This was a joint effort. The Riverside Park Conservancy worked with the City of New York. Mayor Rudy Giuliani helped fund the project. Important support also came from the Deedy and David Goldstick Foundation. The International Masonry Institute also contributed.
Architect Gail E. Wittwer-Laird designed the restoration. The plaza is now called the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Plaza. The wall around the plaza was fixed. New benches and lighting were added. The ground is made of bluestone and granite. The plaza was rededicated on October 19, 2001.
Annual Ceremony
Every year on April 19th, a special ceremony takes place. This date is the anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Several Jewish organizations arrange the event. These include the Congress for Jewish Culture and the Jewish Labor Committee.
The ceremony honors all the Jewish people who fought. It also remembers those who died and those who survived. The event is held at the plaque itself. People often call the plaque "der shteyn" in Yiddish. This means "the stone."
The Memorial's Caretaker
Since 1991, David T. Goldstick has cared for the memorial. He is a former lawyer and lives nearby. He started looking after the plants in the area. He has restored and made the gardens beautiful. He also designed and planted the gardens around the edge.
Goldstick was an advocate for people's rights. As a young man, he traveled to Mississippi in 1963. He helped with civil rights cases during a voter registration drive. After he retired, he started volunteering as a gardener for the park. He has continued to do so ever since.
On June 5, 2018, Goldstick received an award. It was the "Robert M. Morgenthau Citizenship Award." He was honored for his great work at the memorial. This award is given each year. It recognizes people who serve the park and the community.
