Warsaw Ghetto boundary marker

Warsaw,Warsaw Ghetto boundary markerPoland
Warsaw Ghetto boundary marker
Świętojerska, 00-207, Warsaw, Poland
The boundary markers of the Warsaw Ghetto serve as memorial plaques and lines that designate the outer limits of the former ghetto created by Nazi Germany in 1940 during the occupation of Warsaw, Poland.

These markers were installed between 2008 and 2010 at 22 locations along the borders of the Jewish quarter. These sites include the gateways to the ghetto, the wooden footbridges that connected the ghetto to non-Jewish areas, and significant buildings that played a crucial role in the lives of the ghetto's inhabitants from 1940 to 1943.

Description

The Jewish Historical Institute and the City Monument Protection office collaborated to commemorate the Jewish quarter that was lost. Their initiative involved highlighting the significant locations of the former boundaries in the public space of the Polish capital. Eleonora Bergman, Tomasz Lec, Ewa Pustoła-Kozłowska, and Jan Jagielski contributed to the design of the markers. Each marker consists of three components:

  • A bronze plaque measuring 60 cm by 70 cm (24 inches by 28 inches) displaying a map depicting the farthest borders of the ghetto and the pre-war street network of Warsaw. The map includes a pin to indicate the exact location of the marked place.
  • An acrylic glass plaque measuring 36 cm by 50 cm (12 inches by 20 inches) containing information in Polish and English about the place. It provides details about the role of the location in the history of the ghetto, along with one or two historical photos.
  • Cement strips measuring 25 cm (10 inches) wide with a cast iron bilingual sign reading MUR GETTA 1940/GHETTO WALL 1943. These strips are placed in sidewalks and lawns to indicate the precise location of the ghetto walls.

The dates 1940-1943 carry symbolic significance, representing the years when the Warsaw Ghetto existed. However, they should not be interpreted literally since most of the commemorated places were excluded in 1941-1942, while one site was included in the ghetto in 1941, and two were added in 1942.

Most of the plaques were mounted on specially designed 2.3 m (7.6 ft) tall cement posts placed on sett pavement. The remaining markers were affixed directly to the walls of buildings and structures.

Construction of the markers took place between April and November 2008, and the mayor of Warsaw, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, inaugurated them on November 19, 2008. Additionally, on January 27, 2010, which is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the 22nd marker was unveiled at the preserved ghetto wall site on Sienna Street.

The project was financially supported by the City of Warsaw and the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.