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Harley Lippman

Beyond Auschwitz: The nameless victims in forgotten mass graves

Atrocities were not confined to the infamous camps. Hidden tragedies scattered across Eastern Europe demand our attention and care
Jewish and Soviet memorials to Jewish Holocaust victims at the north mass grave site in Rohatyn in western Ukraine (Taricha Rivularis via Wikimedia)
Jewish and Soviet memorials to Jewish Holocaust victims at the north mass grave site in Rohatyn in western Ukraine (Taricha Rivularis via Wikimedia)

This International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we pause to honor the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust, as well as the millions of others targeted by the Nazi regime. As a descendant of survivors, as someone who lost dozens of family members in the Shoah, I know firsthand that as the years pass and the number of living survivors dwindles, our responsibility to preserve their stories grows more urgent. But the act of remembering is not a Jewish need – it is a human necessity.

For decades, Holocaust remembrance and education have centered on the well-documented horrors of places like Auschwitz, Dachau, and Treblinka. This year we mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz, and unsurprisingly this is the focal point in most public ceremonies, classes and other forms of remembrance. Auschwitz, Birkenau and the other concentration camps were sites of unimaginable suffering and the depths of human cruelty. But the Holocaust was not confined to these infamous camps. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed in nameless mass graves scattered across Eastern Europe – hidden tragedies that demand our attention and care.

In towns and villages across Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and elsewhere, Jews were rounded up, marched to the outskirts of their communities, and shot en masse. These atrocities often took place in forests or open fields, leaving no trace beyond the memories of a few witnesses. Today, many of these sites remain unmarked, untended, and unknown. The earth itself holds the stories of these victims, and it is our duty to uncover, document, and commemorate these places.

For the past 15 years, I have spent time and resources to identify such places and preserve the memory of those murdered without a trace. This work cannot be carried out by Jewish organizations alone. Building alliances with non-Jewish individuals, institutions, and governments is essential to the success of this effort. Community leaders and historians must help record and preserve these sites. The mass graves of Nazi victims need to be cared for by the local authorities, not just as a matter of historical preservation but as a testament to shared humanity.

In recent years some organizations have made significant progress in identifying and documenting these mass grave sites. Their work often involves piecing together fragmented testimonies, archival records, and forensic evidence to reconstruct the events that took place. But the task is immense, and these efforts require broader support. The preservation of these sites is about more than historical accuracy. These graves are the final resting places of men, women, and children who were denied even the dignity of a marked burial. It is a moral imperative to safeguard the memory of those murdered without documentation; of those erased from history.

But our efforts should not end with a stone marker or monument. These places can help educate today’s children, those who will never meet a Holocaust survivor. Visiting these sites, hearing local communities share how they discovered, recorded and commemorated the Nazi atrocities, can profoundly impact how future generations understand the Holocaust.

To achieve this, we must foster partnerships across borders and faiths. Governments must take ownership of this history and provide resources to protect these sites. Educational institutions should incorporate these stories into their curricula. Non-Jewish communities must see themselves as stakeholders in this work, recognizing that the lessons of the Holocaust transcend any single group.

We are at a critical juncture. The eyewitnesses who survived the Holocaust will not be with us much longer. Their voices have guided us for decades, bearing witness to the atrocities and reminding us of the dangers of indifference. Now it is our responsibility to ensure their stories – and those of the nameless victims in forgotten graves – are preserved.

On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us commit not only to remembering the horrors of the concentration camps, but to actively preserving the memories of all who perished, whether in the camps, the ghettos, or the unmarked mass graves of Eastern Europe. Their stories demand to be told, and their graves demand to be honored. In doing so, we uphold the values of dignity, justice, and humanity that form the foundation of a just world.

About the Author
Harley Lippman was appointed by President George W. Bush as a member of the US Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad and has been reappointed by every president since. In this role, Harley personally spearheaded efforts that uncovered over 20 mass graves of Jews massacred by Germans.
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