Opening of the Holocaust Museum in Porto: A Historic Landmark in the Iberian Peninsula
The long-awaited Holocaust Museum is set to open on April 5, 2021, becoming the first museum dedicated to this theme in the Iberian Peninsula. To encourage access to this crucial chapter of history, admission will be free until the end of May.
During World War II, the Nazi regime led by Adolf Hitler orchestrated the horrific genocide of 5.7 million Jews, including half a million children. This tragic event, one of the most shocking in human history, will be depicted in the museum through powerful exhibitions that honor the victims and educate future generations.
The inauguration, originally planned for January 27 to coincide with the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, was postponed due to Portugal’s second lockdown, emphasizing the need to ensure a safe space for this historic tribute.
This museum will be more than a place of memory; it will be a center for reflection and education, reminding us of the horrors of the past so that they are never repeated.
Holocaust Museum in Porto: A Space for Memory and Reflection
The Jewish Community of Porto (CJP), responsible for the creation of the Holocaust Museum, describes it as a place to learn about and reflect on the horrors and resilience associated with this tragic chapter in history. The museum chronicles Jewish life before the Holocaust, the rise of Nazism, the Nazi expansion across Europe, the ghettos, refugees, concentration, labor, and extermination camps, the so-called “Final Solution,” death marches, liberation, the post-war impact, and the founding of the State of Israel.
Among its highlights is the faithful recreation of the Auschwitz concentration camp dormitories, offering visitors a profoundly impactful experience. The museum also features:
- A room filled with the names of victims, providing a space for homage and contemplation.
- A Memorial Flame, symbolizing the eternal memory of those who perished.
- A cinema and conference room for exhibitions and discussions.
- A study center and corridors narrating in detail the before, during, and after of the Holocaust.
Inspired by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, the space also displays photographs and screens showing historical films, offering a comprehensive and educational view of this devastating period.
This museum in Porto is far more than an exhibition space; it is an invitation to reflect, a tribute to the victims, and a powerful reminder to ensure that such tragedies are never repeated.
Holocaust Museum in Porto: A Memory That Cannot Be Erased
The Holocaust Museum in Porto will be managed by members of the Jewish Community of Porto (CJP), whose families, including parents, grandparents, and other relatives, were victims of the Holocaust. This museum will establish partnerships with major institutions in cities like Moscow, Hong Kong, the United States, and various countries in Europe, reinforcing the commitment to preserving a memory that must never be forgotten.
These partnerships are of immense importance and bring mutual benefits. For example, in 2013, the CJP sent a valuable collection of archives related to refugees who passed through Porto during World War II to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington. These historical documents, which include letters, testimonies, individual records, and official files, have now returned to be part of the exhibitions at the Porto museum.
The museum also honors individual memories, such as that of Luísa Finkelstein, who, in the museum’s presentation video, recounts the tragedy of her relatives, executed after being forced to dig a mass grave. Another impactful story is that of Michael Rothwell, who recalls the fate of his grandparents, deported like cattle to the Auschwitz extermination camp in 1943. There, they were separated, subjected to abuse, and ultimately murdered. Michael shares:
“My grandparents were good German patriots. My great-uncles even gave their lives for the nation during World War I. They loved a country that was also theirs.”
The Holocaust Museum in Porto will be much more than a historical exhibition space. It will be a profound place for reflection, a tribute to the victims, and a warning for future generations about the dangers of intolerance and hatred.
Holocaust Museum in Porto: Memories and Education for the Future
The Holocaust Museum in Porto is not just a space for memory but also a place where personal stories come to life, such as that of Jonathan Lackman, who shares:
“My grandfather escaped from Treblinka, and my grandmother was rescued with typhus from the Bergen-Belsen camp in northern Germany, where Anne Frank died. I will always tell their story.”
According to Hugo Vaz, the museum’s curator and cultural advisor to the CIP/CJP, the museum was designed to welcome all audiences, with a particular focus on younger generations:
“Teaching about the Holocaust should always begin with the youngest.” For Hugo, the museum serves as a “starting point” for raising awareness and educating students about the Holocaust, fostering an understanding that combats intolerance and forgetfulness.
The museum’s construction, filled with challenges, was made possible through the generous support of a Portuguese Sephardic family from Southeast Asia, who also faced persecution during World War II. This family was imprisoned in a Japanese concentration camp, and their contribution highlights the importance of keeping the memory of all atrocities from this period alive.
Among the museum’s exhibits are two Sifrei Torah (Torah scrolls), donated to Porto’s synagogue by refugees of the war. These sacred objects symbolize the resilience and continuity of Jewish culture, even during its darkest moments.
Come and discover this moving space, which is part of a unique itinerary in Portugal, rich in history, reflection, and learning.
