Whether we are talking about the Holocaust or any history, it is for everyone. History is not just the past—it is our present and our future. It is not just a way to learn facts; it is a way to learn who we are, how we make choices, how we can determine our future. It is a way to understand each other and to share our world.
Mead Public Library’s Jewish Holocaust Collection includes the personal archives and files of Sheboygan residents who survived the Holocaust and its aftermath.
The collection can be viewed by the public and is located in the Fela and Anschel Warschau Room on the second floor of the library (check in at the second-floor Help Desk).
It includes 150 cataloged items along with numerous documents, videos and photographs, some of which are displayed in the Warschau Room.
The collection of original books and other materials housed there is available for consultation in that room only, though copies of some books and videos are available for checkout. Please check with a staff member for more information.
The documents displayed in the room are intended to represent the journeys of all the Holocaust survivors who emigrated to Sheboygan—starting with life in a displaced persons camp following liberation, through arrival in the United States, and eventual application for United States citizenship. The photographs displayed on the wall and in albums symbolize both what was lost and what was gained—family members and friends lost to the war juxtaposed with children and new friends gained as the Holocaust survivors continued their lives.
The collection was established in 2001 through generous support from community members.
Survivor Archives
Selected items from the survivor’s archives are available to view online, including personal narratives of the survivor's lives, photographs of the survivors before and after the holocaust, documents from the survivors journey to the U.S., articles that the survivors thought were important and more.
Watch Fela Warschau Recount Her Story
A selection of videos that are part of the collection are available to view through the library’s YouTube channel. The videos feature recorded talks by the room’s namesake Fela Warschau, an Auschwitz survivor who worked to educate students and others about the Holocaust.
Survivor Profiles
Read more about Sheboygan's Holocaust survivors featured in the library's collection.