A Guiding Light for the Next Generation
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Summer 2010 6 Summer 2010 PlaCE STAMP HERE Important Estate A Guiding Light for Museum Exhibitions The Planned Giving Newsletter of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum WHAT KIND Tax Update the Next Generation Around the Country Continued from page 1 Fighting the Fires of Hate: America and the Nazi Book Burnings OF WORLD Legislation enacted by Congress in 2001 Leading by example, Sam has New Brunswick, New Jersey resulted in a gradual reduction in estate visited numerous camps and other New Brunswick Public Library BUSINESS REPLY MAIL and gift taxes for many Americans. On Holocaust sites as part of the June 12–August 10, 2010 January 1, 2010, the federal estate tax was Museum’s International Travel WILL FUTURE Deadly Medicine: Creating the repealed for one year only. Program. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Master Race Unless Congress acts, the estate tax will Planned Giving Sam and his family have been Skokie, Illinois be restored in 2011 and apply at lower 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW GENERATIONS dedicated supporters of the Museum Illinois Holocaust Museum and INSIDE thresholds and higher rates than those in Washington, DC 20024-2126 for the last 18 years, including his Education Center effect in 2009. Some have predicted that serving as a Council member from July 22, 2010–January 2, 2011 Letter from the director Congress will enact legislation that will INHERIT? 2003 to 2008. To ensure that his Building the endowment: retroactively reinstate the estate tax at 2009 For a complete listing of all traveling lifetime of commitment and exhibitions visit www.ushmm.org. A legacy for future generations levels. Remember also that many states still THE HOLOCausT COMPELS US dedication to the Museum endures, impose estate taxes and have no plans to Legacy of Light Guardians: he has made a significant bequest for TO asK THAT QuesTION... AND repeal them. Safeguarding truth ABOVE ALL, TO ACT ON IT. the Museum’s endowment. We are always here to help you and Museum honors liberators in In Sam’s view, the Museum and its your advisors adapt your plans to your EVERY WILL nation’s capital specific situation. Contact Sara Eigenberg, educational outreach is the best insurance that the lessons of this MATTERS. Museum scholar receives Planned Giving Officer, at 202.479.9733 or Germany’s highest civilian honor [email protected] if you would like tragic history will be transmitted Put the Museum to receive updates on tax law changes. from generation to generation. in yours. Important estate tax update Portrait of two young boys wearing Jewish badges Above: Legacy of Light Guardian Sam Devinki. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Courtesy of Shraga Weiner. Photo by George Kadish. U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum Courtesy of Shraga Weiner. in the Kovno ghetto taken shortly before their Right: Sam touring the Permanent Exhibition round-up in the March 1944 “Children’s Action”. this spring with Kansas City teens. Who will be at their side tomorrow? were both murdered by the Nazis. His THROUGH YOUR legaCY GIFT A Guiding Light for grandfather’s business partner, Jozef TO THE MUSEUM, YOU WILL. 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Washington, DC 20024-2126 ushmm.org Gondrowicz, who was a member of the the Next Generation Polish nationalist resistance movement Armia Krajowa (A.K. or Home Army), In each of the past three years, Sam alerted Sam’s family that the Nazis were Devinki has brought a group of ninth coming to liquidate the Wodzislaw graders from his hometown of Kansas ghetto. Gondrowicz arranged to hide City, Missouri, to the United States Sam’s parents and other family members Holocaust Memorial Museum. In March, in a 10’ x 15’ dirt hole underneath a barn, as he addressed this group of what Sam with no electricity or bathroom facilities, described as future leaders in government, where they remained for 26 months. After the war, Sam’s parents went to business, and education, Sam shared his We are proud to introduce Legacy of Light Guardians, When the farmer who hid them withheld Regensburg, the German displaced family’s personal story and challenged food, Gondrowicz threatened to kill him if persons camp where he was born, and recognizing the generosity of all supporters who make the students to stand up whenever he did not care for the Jews he was hiding. eventually reached Kansas City. Starting SAFEguARDIng TRuth for future generations their they witness antisemitism, hatred, or with nothing, his parents built the personal legacy through any type of gift to the Museum’s bigotry. Although Sam lost more than In 1945, the Russians liberated the successful real estate development firm endowment. Every will matters —put the Museum in yours. 100 members of his family during the remaining family members, yet the that Sam runs to this day. Holocaust, he is alive today because a family remained in peril, as Jews were In speaking to the school groups he brave individual stood up in the face of still under threat of violence and death. brings, Sam implores them to study Nazi terror. Gondrowicz again warned them and ultimately, with his wife, saved at least and preserve this history, not just by Sam’s family lived in Wodzislaw, Poland, 50 Jews. In 2007, while on a Museum-led visiting the Museum and reading, but 30 miles north of Krakow. His paternal trip, Sam had the privilege of meeting by traveling to concentration camps. grandmother and maternal grandfather Gondrowicz’s sons in Lodz, Poland. Continued on page 6 EVery WILL MATTERS. PUT THE MUSEUM IN YOURS. USHMM.ORG/ENDOWMENT UNITED STATES HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM USHMM.ORG/ENDOWMENT EVery Will maTTers. puT The museum in YOurs. 2 3 4 Summer 2010 Please JOIN ME for this special day of behind-the- Banners with personal scenes programming at the Museum sponsored by testimonials of Legacy the Legacy of Light Society. I promise it will be a From the Director of Light Guardians day to remember! —Arlene Herson, National Chair, Museum’s Paul Shapiro Awarded SAFeguarding TRUTH FOR displayed during Days of Legacy of Light Society of Planned Giving George Hellman Remembrance featured FUTURE GENERATIONS Milton Herson Germany’s Highest Civilian Honor Ann and Paul Krouse, Legacy of Light Society In March, the Museum welcomed its 30 The recognizes individuals who have Chicago, IL; Deanie and On May 18, Paul Shapiro, the Director of the United States Holocaust made a commitment to secure the Museum’s future and its millionth visitor since opening in 1993. And Jay Stein, Jacksonville, SAVE THE DATE Monday, October 18, 2010 Memorial Museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies, was timeless cause by including the Museum in their estate plans. this past year alone, we had some 30 million FL; and Diane Wohl, presented the Cross of the Order of Merit for his contributions to Individuals who direct any type of gift to the Museum’s visits to ushmm.org, our multilingual A Day at the Museum Mill Neck, NY. Banners the study of the Holocaust. The award is Germany’s highest civilian endowment are recognized as Legacy of Light Guardians. Make Museum Web site. With your generous What you do matters not pictured: Rebecca recognition. Ambassador Scharioth cited Shapiro’s instrumental role a bequest or other planned gift today to the Museum’s support, a truly global audience is learning Knaster, New York in opening the International Tracing Service archive, based in Bad endowment, and let your commitment live forever. the universal lessons of the Holocaust. • Exclusive glimpse at Museum’s conservation efforts; City and Louis Smith, Arolsen, Germany, and making its contents available to Holocaust • Updates and roundtable discussions on antisemitism and But though our impact is far-reaching, Washington, D.C. survivors and scholars in the United States and around the world. Holocaust denial with our scholars-in-residence; and our work will never be done. In a world He also recognized Shapiro, who joined the Museum in 1997, for May 18, 2010 Paul Shapiro receives Germany’s Cross of the [ ] YES, I’m ready to safeguard truth for future generations. I would where hate shows no signs of abating, • Behind-the-scenes look at the creation of an exhibition. Order of Merit for his contributions to the study of the Holocaust establishing the Museum’s Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies like to receive more information about the Museum’s endowment fund and how I antisemitism is surging, and where every as one of the world’s preeminent Holocaust research centers and for from the German Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Klaus Cost is $36 per person, lunch included. For more Scharioth, at the German Embassy in Washington, D.C. can secure the future work of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum with a day the truth of the Holocaust is denied, Emily Heldwig, Paper and Photographic Conservator, provides his commitment to strengthening relationships between Holocaust information, please contact Naomi Katz at participants in the 2009 Day at the Museum Program with a gift that can also help enhance my financial security today. distorted, or minimized, the urgency of scholars in Germany and the United States. To learn more about the 202.488.2681 or [email protected] or Celeste behind-the-scenes view of the Museum’s conservation processes. Embassy Christophe Avril/German I would also like to receive complimentary materials about: our mission has only grown. What will the Endowment Gifts: pathbreaking work of the Center visit ushmm.org/research/center. world be like tomorrow? A Legacy for the Future Z. Maier at 202.488.2634 or [email protected]. Gifts through my will Building a stronger endowment today Gift opportunities from retirement plans is the only way we can ensure a secure future… a future that does not repeat As we move deeper into the 21st century, the challenge to keep the memory of the Giving through charitable remainder trusts the failures of the past.