Jan Karski

During World War II, Jan Karski was the legendary, political emissary of the Polish Underground State and the Polish Government-in-Exile. He carried out three successful missions, between occupied Poland and the headquarters of Polish government in France and Great Britain, in order to pass on messages and documents. In 1942, as an eyewitness to the liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, he informed the Polish authorities and Allied politicians of this and of the extermination of the Jews. After the War, he was honoured with the title of Righteous Among the Nation and with the Order of the White Eagle. He was also nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the passing of Jan Karski (1914–2000), we present his story in the light of new academic research. Learn about Karski’s life, read about his activities aimed at informing the world about the extermination of the Jews, see how Karski is honoured in Poland and around the world, and view a guided walk through the Core Exhibition of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which contains an important artefact connected to Karski.