How does engaging families of descendants and contemporary art yield a deeper, personal, and multifaceted understanding of the past and the present?

Context

The German city of Breslau, today Wrocław in Poland, was once home to one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in Central Europe. ​​The Emancipation Act of 1812 was a first, significant step toward the granting of equal civic rights to Jews in Prussia, allowing them to study at universities, hold public offices, and actively participate in city life. Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Jewish Breslauers contributed to commerce, industry, academia, and cultural life, establishing synagogues, schools, and institutions that played an important role in shaping the city. However, the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s marked the progressive exclusion and persecution of Jewish citizens. By 1939, approximately 13,000 Jews remained in Breslau, but soon many were forced to flee, while others faced deportations.

The exhibition Putting Things Back. Jewish Breslauers and Their Objects, held at OP ENHEIM in Wrocław from May to September 2024, highlighted pre-war life, presenting both stories of Jewish prosperity and the brutal reality of exclusion, forced emigration, and the Holocaust. The exhibit, organized by the Urban Memory Foundation and OP ENHEIM, was an original initiative that brought back nearly 100 objects, photographs, and documents of Jewish families from Breslau. It was the first exhibition of this kind in Poland, based on private collections of Jewish families, who actively participated in its creation. Over 2,300 visitors from 27 countries saw the exhibit, exploring the private, religious, cultural, and professional aspects of Jewish urban life from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries.

The exhibition presented personal belongings of Jewish Breslauers, items that families took with them when fleeing the city in the late 1930s. These included paintings, household treasures, furniture, photographs from work and family life, letters, and documents bearing witness to Nazi persecution. These objects, once forcibly removed from their place of origin, temporarily returned to Wrocław, restoring the memory of their owners and their lost world. The symbolic theme of “putting things back” reflected not only the return of these objects but also an attempt to reconnect past and present.

The project was a collaborative effort involving:

  • The Urban Memory Foundation, which focuses on public history and memory studies.
  • OP ENHEIM, a private cultural institution curating and promoting contemporary art and young artists.
  • The exhibition team: curators, Dr. Małgorzata Stolarska-Fronia and Dr. Maciej Gugała, key consultants and experts, Dr. Felicitas Heimann-Jelinek, Prof. Marcin Wodziński, Dr. Aleksandra Janus, Dr. Juliet D. Golden, Dr. Tamar Cohn Gazit, Stephen Falk, Donald Falk, Daniel Ljunggren, Prof. Tim Buchen, Dr. Wojciech Tworek, Dr. Monika Piechota, Dr. Danuta Płókarz, and Celine Skrippek.
  • Individuals, families,  and institutions who loaned objects for the exhibition: the Aviv Family, Tamar Cohn Gazit, the Herz Family, Donald Falk, Stephen Falk, Ann Goebel-Fabbri,  William L. Gross, Ingeborg Huhn, Alfred and Lotte Laurence, Daniel Ljunggren, the Pearce Family, Nicholas Rose,  Benjamin and Rose Sklarz, Nick Tischler,  Annemarie Wadlow, Madelaine Helga Zadik,  OP ENHEIM Foundation, the Wrocław University Library,  and Yad Vashem.
  • Public and private sponsors.

Highlights

Symbolic Return of Objects to Wrocław

One of the most profound aspects of the exhibition was the temporary return of Jewish Breslauers’ personal belongings to their city of origin connecting the past and the present. Objects were at the center of the narrative and an entry point to personal stories presented on the backdrop of historic events.

Active Participation of Descendants of Jewish Breslauers

A key aspect of the exhibition was the active involvement of descendants of Jewish Breslauers, spread around the world, who were involved in shaping the exhibition narrative. Nearly 30 descendants came to the opening of the exhibition, activating a New Community of ex-Breslauers.

Artistic Intervention

The exhibit was accompanied by a site-specific artistic commentary by Berlin artist Anna Schapiro. The artist explored the layers of histories encapsulated in the objects presented at the exhibition, the cumulative stories they conveyed, and the way these invisible and neglected pasts still weaved themselves into the present.

The OP ENHEIM Building as a Living Memory Space

The location of the exhibition, OP ENHEIM, was itself part of the historical narrative. This tenement house once belonged to the Oppenheim family, and was home to many Jewish families, making it a deeply symbolic site for an exhibition dedicated to the Jewish heritage of Breslau.

Online Presentation & Archive

After its physical presentation in Wrocław, the exhibit was prepared for an online presentation, including 3D digitization of some of the objects, and is now available to even wider audiences. It serves as an online archive.

Challenges

The exhibition Putting Things Back. Jewish Breslauers and Their Objects faced multiple challenges, encompassing political, ethical, logistical, and curatorial aspects. Given the sensitivity of the subject matter—Jewish heritage, forced displacement, and restitution—the organizers had to navigate complex issues while ensuring historical accuracy, ethical integrity, and public engagement.

  • Political challenges included navigating historical sensitivities, as the exhibition dealt with the Jewish past of Breslau (now Wrocław), a city that experienced a complete change of population after World War II. Addressing this transformation without politicizing the narrative or alienating different audiences required a carefully balanced approach.
  • Ethical challenges included handling personal and sensitive objects. Many artifacts on display, including letters, photographs, and documents from the Holocaust era, contained deeply personal stories of displacement, persecution, and loss. The curators had to ensure these items were treated with dignity and respect.
  • Additionally, interpreting history without oversimplification was essential. Presenting the complexities of Jewish life in Breslau—its prosperity, forced migration, and persecution—without reducing it to a single narrative required nuanced storytelling.
  • Another challenge was international collaboration and diplomacy, as many of the objects belonged to Jewish families who emigrated to different parts of the world, including Israel, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK, and the USA. Working with international institutions and private families involved extensive diplomatic and legal considerations.
  • Organizing transportation, insurance, and conservation for fragile objects required significant planning. Conservation and preservation of artifacts were also major concerns, as some historical objects, such as the poem book by Willy Cohn or Heinrich Tischler’s tefillin set, required restoration before they could be exhibited.
  • Another challenge was engaging both local and international audiences through a multilingual presentation (Polish, English, German).
  • Curatorial and conceptual challenges included telling a story through objects, as the exhibition aimed at recreating a lost world using physical artifacts. Curators had to carefully select and arrange objects in a way that evoked personal histories and broader historical contexts.
  • The space and exhibition design also posed a challenge, as the OP ENHEIM building, formerly home to the Jewish Oppenheim family, was an integral part of the narrative. Adapting the space to display delicate artifacts while maintaining the architectural integrity of the historical site required creative curatorial solutions.
  • The temporary aspect of the exhibit and returning objects to the families after the project ends made research and presentation of the artifacts and stories possible within a limited timeframe. The challenge was how to find a way that the robust amount of work would not be lost after the exhibition is over.
  • The exhibition successfully reunited Jewish Breslauers’ heritage with its place of origin, at least temporarily. It set an important precedent for future discussions on Jewish memory, restitution, and cultural heritage in Wrocław.

Solutions

To address the various political, ethical, logistical, and curatorial challenges, the organizers of Putting Things Back. Jewish Breslauers and Their Objects implemented a series of solutions.

  • Political and ethical solutions included creating an inclusive and multi-perspective narrative. The exhibition emphasized personal histories rather than focusing solely on institutional or political narratives. By showcasing the belongings of Jewish Breslauers through the voices of their descendants, it avoided controversial political framing while highlighting the lived experiences of individuals and families.
  • Cooperation with families who loaned the objects to the exhibit was the key element. For years, UMF has been in contact with the descendants of Jewish families from Breslau. The exhibition was built on this direct cooperation with twelve Jewish families. Engaging them from the start helped ensure that their heritage was represented with dignity and accuracy. Their testimonies and stories were presented at the exhibition, incorporating multimedia solutions.
  • Ethical handling of sensitive objects was also a priority. Items such as Holocaust-era letters, documents of Nazi persecution, and personal artifacts were displayed with sensitivity, avoiding sensationalism or decontextualization. The curators placed a strong emphasis on storytelling, ensuring that each object was tied to a broader historical and personal narrative.
  • Logistical solutions included conservation and restoration of artifacts. Some historical objects required extensive conservation efforts before they could be exhibited. Many objects, i.e., the poem book by Willy Cohn, Heinrich Tischler tefillin set, portrait of Babette Silberstein, and the silver tiara of the Freund and Falk families, underwent professional restoration processes to preserve them while maintaining their authenticity. This ensured that fragile historical artifacts could be safely displayed without deterioration. Special attention was paid at OP ENHEIM to ensure adequate museum-like conditions in the exhibition gallery.
  • A multilingual presentation was prepared to ensure accessibility. The exhibition was available in Polish, English, and German, making it accessible to both local audiences and international visitors. Digital tools were used to ensure a trilingual presentation.
  • Curatorial and conceptual solutions included using the OP ENHEIM building as a historical anchor. The venue itself was part of the exhibition’s narrative, as OP ENHEIM is located in a former Jewish tenement house once owned by the Oppenheim family. This choice reinforced the idea of “putting things back,” symbolizing a return of Jewish heritage to the city. In addition, Jewish artifacts, such as a mezuzah and a piece of paper with text in Hebrew letters, uncovered at the building during renovation works, were analysed and presented to the audience for the first time.
  • Layering of historical contexts was another curatorial strategy. The exhibition design emphasized different historical layers of Breslau/Wrocław by incorporating objects from various periods, from the 18th to the 20th century. This approach helped illustrate the development,  continuity, and rupture of Jewish life in the city.
  • In addition to the historical narrative, an artistic intervention by Berlin-based artist Anna Schapiro was incorporated. Her imprints on the walls of OP ENHEIM of rice paper soaked in ink echoed personal stories presented at the exhibit. This temporary artwork was designed to disappear after the exhibition, mirroring the fragility of memory.
  • Personal storytelling played a central role. Instead of presenting objects as static artifacts, the exhibition connected them to individual stories. For example, the silver tiara of the Freund and Falk families is still being used by descendants to celebrate wedding anniversaries, reinforcing how these objects remain part of living traditions.
  • The narrative of displacement and return was carefully structured. The exhibition was designed to reflect the journey of Jewish Breslauers, from flourishing urban life, through persecution, displacement, and exile, to the symbolic return of their belongings. This provided visitors with a chronological and emotional journey, helping them understand the historical transformation of the city.
  • Since the beginning of the project the organizers engaged in digital documentation, including 3D scanning of selected objects and preparing the exhibit to continue to exist online. In the post-exhibition months the team focused on transforming the content for online presentation and created a dedicated website in three languages.
  • By applying these solutions, the organizers managed to bridge the past and the present. The combination of historical objects, personal narratives, artistic intervention, and digital solutions ensured that the exhibition was, and still is, both a tribute and a tool for education and dialogue about Jewish heritage in Wrocław.

Description

The realization of the exhibition Putting Things Back. Jewish Breslauers and Their Objects involved several key phases, including research, collaboration with families, conservation efforts, curatorial and design work, public events, and digital documentation.

Preliminary Research and Cooperation (2023)

  • Establishing contact with Jewish Breslauers’ descendants from Belgium, the Netherlands, Israel, Germany, Sweden, the UK, and the USA.
  • Cataloging family artifacts, documents, and photographs for the exhibition.
  • Field trips to view, select and collect the objects.
  • Cooperation with curators, historians, and experts.

Developing exhibition scenario & design (end of 2023 – early 2024)

  • Mapping and selecting objects and personal stories
  • Curatorial research and work
  • Cooperation with designers – arranging the exhibition space

Object Conservation and Restoration (end of 2023 – early 2024)

  • Transportation and insurance of fragile historical objects.
  • Conservation and restoration work.
  • Development of multilingual exhibition content (Polish, English and German)
  • Production of videos and multimedia installations to enhance the visitor experience.

Opening of the Exhibition (May 2024)

  • Official opening of Putting Things Back at OP ENHEIM in Wrocław.
  • Participation of Jewish families, academics, and museum representatives marks a significant moment in Wrocław’s efforts to reconnect with its Jewish heritage.
  • Presentation of nearly 100 objects, photographs, and documents from Jewish Breslauers, many of which had not been publicly displayed before.

Public Events and Memory Practices (May–September 2024):

  • Guided tours and discussions for citizens of Wrocław and tourists highlighting the impact of Jewish life in Breslau and the significance of memory and restitution.
  • Site-specific artistic intervention by Anna Schapiro to symbolize the layers of history and memory.
  • A series of public events, including meetings with descendants of Jewish Breslauers and discussions on memory, arts, and heritage.

Creating online exhibit (end of 2024 – beginning of 2025) 

  • Designing the exhibition website in three languages
  • Digitalization of documents and letters to create a lasting record of the exhibition materials.
  • 3D digitization of selected objects
  • Uploading contents

Through a combination of historical research, artistic expression, and community engagement, the exhibition created a deeply immersive experience, reconnecting Breslau’s Jewish heritage with present-day Wrocław.

Lessons learned

The exhibition Putting Things Back. Jewish Breslauers and Their Objects provided valuable insights into how historical memory can be restored, preserved, and reconnected with the present. The project highlighted key lessons that can inform future initiatives related to cultural heritage, memory work, and museum curation.

  • The involvement of descendants, curators, and artists enriched the exhibition’s perspective. The contributions of Jewish Breslauers’ families provided authentic objects and firsthand narratives, making the exhibition a living memory project rather than a purely historical reconstruction.
  • The power of personal narratives – The exhibition showed that presenting history through personal stories and objects creates a more engaging and resonant experience. Rather than focusing solely on broad historical events, the inclusion of testimonies, letters, photographs, and family heirlooms helped visitors connect with individual experiences of Jewish Breslauers.
  • The importance of ethical curatorial practices -Handling sensitive historical materials, particularly those linked to forced displacement and persecution, requires a careful ethical approach. This project demonstrated the importance of consulting descendants and affected communities, ensuring that objects are displayed with dignity and context.
  • Flexibility in exhibition formats – The use of digital multimedia materials and artistic interventions significantly expanded the reach of the exhibition. The inclusion of multilingual content ensured accessibility for both local visitors and descendants of Jewish Breslauers abroad. The digitalization of documents and objects created a permanent record, preserving historical materials beyond the duration of the exhibition.
  • The role of art – Artist Anna Schapiro’s installation added a contemporary artistic commentary, demonstrating how history can be interpreted through modern artistic expression.

More info

https://urbanmemoryfoundation.org/en/ptb/

Funding

Partners

📸 Jerzy Wypych