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2025 Rubin Lecture: Rescuing the Hidden Michalovce Collection

Public Program
Photograph of an artifact in the Museum’s Michalovce collection, taken after its discovery under the floorboards of an attic in Michalovce, Eastern Slovakia in September 2019. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Photograph of an artifact in the Museum’s Michalovce collection, taken after its discovery under the floorboards of an attic in Michalovce, Eastern Slovakia in September 2019. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

In 1942, members of the Schwarz family packed their belongings, hid them in the attic for safekeeping, and left their home. Like many Jews who received deportation orders during the Holocaust, they most certainly hoped to return one day. But they never did. Those possessions—personal letters, photographs, Hebrew prayer books, clothing, and more—stayed hidden, frozen in time, for nearly 80 years. Then, during renovations in September 2019, a new homeowner stumbled upon the time capsule still hidden in the attic in Michalovce, Eastern Slovakia. Join us to hear about the Museum’s work to unravel the mystery of this remarkable collection now in its care and discover what we’ve learned so far about the family who left it behind.

Speakers

Seth Gottlieb, Collections Curator (Contractor), United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Beth Gottschling Huber, Assistant Curator, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

This program is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

For more information, please contact the Museum’s Western Regional Office at 202.817.4725 or westernteam@ushmm.org.