University of Warsaw students commemorate ‘ghetto benches’ segregation

Young people remember antisemitic policy introduced 82 years ago and criticise the university authorities for not participating in the memorial

Students at the University of Warsaw, one of the largest Polish universities, commemorated the victims of the ghetto benches segregation, which was introduced 82 years ago at the university.

The university’s rector did not participate in the commemoration on Sunday.

The ghetto benches were an official form of discrimination against Jews in pre-war Poland. Jewish students were required to sit on designated benches in specific sections in lecture halls or to stand for some classes. In Warsaw, Christian students who wanted to show solidarity with their Jewish colleagues and sat on the same benches with them were beaten by nationalists.

This is the second year in a row that University of Warsaw students have commemorated the victims of such discrimination.

They critically acknowledged the absence of the university’s rector, Marcin Palys, during the program.

“After over 80 years, the University of Warsaw authorities still have not decided to commemorate the victims of their own antisemitic policy and have not detached themselves from right-wing organisations that have sowed terror here,” said Dominik Puchala from the Student Antifascist Committee.

Piotr Wislicki, president of the Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland, told commemoration attendees about the antisemitic repression faced by his parents during their studies in Warsaw and Lviv. He thanked the organisers for their commitment and courage in dealing with a difficult past. “History shows that silence is definitely worse than telling the truth. History will never forgive those who were silent,” said Wislicki.