history of Judaica and Judaica collections in Poland before, during and after the Second World War: an overview

This article traces the history of Judaica and Judaica collections in Poland, from the earliest Jewish art collections and the inception of the first Jewish museums to the present. The first section of the article describes the precursors to and origins of Jewish museums in Poland within its pre-1939 borders and the situation at the outbreak of WWII. The second section addresses the mechanisms and geography of the destruction and pillage of Judaica during WWII throughout occupied Poland. The third section deals with the ways in which post-war Judaica collections were assembled by Polish museums and municipalities. This was influenced by national politics and prevailing communist attitudes to so-called 'post-Jewish property'.