Library to show films on Polish Holocaust experience

Each April, the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) heads up a national time of reflection called the Days of Remembrance, established by Congress as our nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust. According to the USHMM, between 1939 and 1945 at least 1.5 million Polish citizens were deported to Germany territory for forced labor. Hundreds of thousands were also imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. It is estimated that at least 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians and at least 3 million Jewish citizens of Poland were killed during that time.

In any epoch of human tragedy, it is impossible to single out one event or set of events to point at and describe as the worst but the Nazi occupation of Poland was truly horrific. Nazi sentiments towards the Polish people were decidedly negative, and the Nazis aggressively pursued a zero-tolerance policy towards Polish culture as well as its political, religious, and intellectual leadership.

This year the Birmingham International Center is honoring Poland. They, alongside the Birmingham Holocaust Education Center, are partnering with Emmet O’Neal Library to sponsor a series of four films highlighting the Polish experience. For film titles and details, contact the Library at 445-1121. Film showings will be held:

Sunday, April 14 at 2 p.m.

Tuesday, April 23 at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 7 at 6:30 p.m.

Visit eolib.org or the library’s Facebook page, or call 445-1121 for more.