The international exhibition “Some Were Neighbors: Choice, Human Behavior, and the Holocaust,” created by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. (USHMM), has opened at the Museum “Jewish Memory and Holocaust in Ukraine.” The exhibition is timed to coincide with Holocaust Remembrance Day and is dedicated to one of the most complex questions of history: the personal choice of individuals under the conditions of Nazi terror.
The exhibition explores the role of ordinary people, neighbors, and witnesses to the events – those who became complicit in crimes, remained indifferent, or found the courage to help the persecuted. The exhibition prompts reflection on personal responsibility, moral choice, and how the actions of individuals affect the fate of others.
The new project was presented by the Museum’s director, Dr. Iryna Radchenko, who spoke to guests about the idea and concept of the exhibition and emphasized the particular importance of such initiatives for preserving historical memory, developing a culture of remembrance, and fostering public dialogue in contemporary Ukraine.
A special part of the opening was a video address by Sara J. Bloomfield, Director of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, who noted: “Our exhibition explores the role and responsibility of ordinary people across Europe during the Holocaust… Only a few resisted. But their actions show that choice was always possible.”
The presentation of this exhibition in Dnipro serves as an important example of international cooperation in preserving the memory of the Holocaust and combating indifference, hatred, and xenophobia.
The exhibition will be on display at the Museum until June 7, 2026.
It can be visited on Wednesdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM (last entry to the Museum is at 6:00 PM).
