continued from home page (U.S. Holocaust Musem Agrees...)

The Museum’s current exhibit panel on the creation of the War Refugee Board mentions only the role of the Treasury officials, not Bergson or Congress. But the revised panel will include “visual materials and artifacts relating to the Bergson Group,” Dr. Luckert pledged in his letter to the Wyman Institute.

Wyman Institute director Dr. Rafael Medoff said:

“The Wyman Institute applauds the U. S. Holocaust Museum’s pledge to correct the omission of the Bergson Group from its Permanent Exhibit. We trust that the corrected exhibit will clearly acknowledge the Bergson Group’s vital role in the process leading to creation of the War Refugee Board, including its march by 400 rabbis in Washington and its crucial work with Members of Congress to promote rescue.”

BACKGROUND:

In August 2002, Dr. Rafael Medoff sent the chief curator of the U.S. Holocaust Museum, Dr. Steven Luckert, information about the Bergson Group’s role in the creation of the War Refugee Board, and urged the Museum to correct its omission of the Bergson Group from its panel on the Board. On September 5, 2002, Dr. Luckert wrote back that the Museum’s panel on the Board would be “redone,” and “the contribution of the Bergson Group to the formation of the WRB should be mentioned.”

On March 8, 2005, Dr. Medoff and a delegation of sons and daughters of Bergson Group activists met with Dr. Luckert; Stephen Goodell, Director of Exhibitions; and Alice Greenwald, Associate Director of Public Programs, to again explain why the Bergson Group should be added to the Museum’s Permanent Exhibit.

On June 17, 2007, Prof. Wiesel, Prof. Wyman, and Seymour Reich, speaking at the Wyman Institute’s national conference in New York City, urged the U.S. Holocaust Museum to add material about the Bergson Group to its Permanent Exhibit.

On July 22, 2007, the Wyman Institute sent the Museum a petition signed by 110 prominent Holocaust scholars and Jewish leaders --including top leaders of Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox Judaism-- urging recognition of the Bergson Group’s efforts.

On July 29, 2007, the Wyman Institute faxed the Museum a petition signed by 185 relatives of the 400 rabbis who took part in the Bergson Group’s 1943 march in Washington, urging the Museum to add Bergson and the march to its Permanent Exhibit.

On July 30, 2007, Dr. Luckert wrote to the Wyman Institute that the Museum will change its Permanent Exhibit “by early spring of 2008” in order to acknowledge “the positive contributions that the Bergson Group made in raising American awareness of the Holocaust and in advocating Jewish rescue.” The changes, in the segment concerning the War Refugee Board, will include “visual materials and artifacts relating to the Bergson Group" and its role in bringing about creation of the Board, Dr. Luckert wrote.

For the text of the petition by the scholars and Jewish leaders, click here.

For the text of the petition by the families of the rabbis, click here.