84th anniversary of the first deportations to the Nazi-German extermination camp in Bełżec

84th anniversary of the first deportations to the Nazi-German extermination camp in Bełżec
On 17 March 2026, commemorative ceremonies were held at the Museum and Memorial Site in Bełżec to honor the victims of Operation “Reinhardt,” on the 84th anniversary of the first deportations to the German extermination camp in Bełżec.

The event began with a free guided tour of the grounds of the former extermination camp in Bełżec. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the history of the camp’s operation and the fate of its victims—mainly Jews deported from south-eastern Poland, as well as from other European countries.

This was followed by a moving spoken-word and musical performance titled “Mommy! I Was Good After All! It’s Dark! It’s Dark!” prepared by students of the Piotr Firlej Secondary School No. 2 in Lubartów. The performance poignantly conveyed the tragedy of the fate of children—victims of the Holocaust—prompting reflection and contemplation among those gathered.

The culmination of the ceremony was a wreath-laying and candle-lighting ceremony at the Ohel Niche. In silence and contemplation, tribute was paid to the hundreds of thousands of victims murdered in Bełżec.

A group of young people dressed in black stands in a stark room with concrete walls. In the background, educational panels with photographs and text are visible, along with a musical ensemble featuring guitarists, a saxophonist, and a violinist. In the foreground, a woman wearing an ornate scarf stands out, while symbolic objects are placed on the floor.
84th anniversary of the first deportations to the Nazi-German extermination camp in Bełżec

Among the participants of the ceremony were the Deputy Mayor of the Bełżec Commune, Brygida Pasierbiewicz, the Director of the Public Library of the Bełżec Commune, Irena Wiciejowska, and members of the Bełżec Commune Council. Also present were students and teaching staff of the Piotr Firlej Secondary School No. 2 in Lubartów, the School and Preschool Complex in Bełżec, and the St. Brother Albert Primary School in Narol.

It was a valuable history lesson for the younger generation and a call to preserve memory and counter all forms of hatred.

Young people stand in silence inside the Ohel Niche, a powerful memorial space, against a wall lined with rows of victims’ names.
84th anniversary of the first deportations to the Nazi-German extermination camp in Bełżec
A black-and-white studio portrait of a young woman with dark, wavy hair reaching her ears. She is seated in profile, slightly smiling toward the camera. She wears an elegant, dark sleeveless dress with draping at the neckline, a necklace, and a watch on her left wrist. Her hands are clasped on her lap.
Olga Lowenthal was murdered in the extermination camp in Bełżec
Previous
Museum Council