Jan Munk, a former long-time Director of the Terezín Memorial, died of a serious illness on May 12, 2019.
Jan Munk. Photo: Terezín Memorial.
Jan Munk stood at the helm of the Terezín Memorial between 1990 and 2017 and proved to be one of the leading lights of the large-scale transformation of the Memorial that got under way after 1989. Thanks to his long-time efforts, a team of historians and other specialists managed to substantially redraft all the exhibitions of the Terezín Memorial, while creating new displays focusing on the hitherto ignored history of the Terezín Ghetto as well as the history of the Gestapo Police Prison in the Small Fortress, and the concentration camp in Litoměřice. Dr. Munk also devoted considerable attention to education and public enlightenment – the Terezín Memorial´s Department of Education (established in 1993) soon turned out to be a major constituent of the Memorial and its chief intermediary in communication with youth and teachers.
In addition to his work in Terezín, Dr. Munk also served as a Chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities (1995–2005) and, starting in 2012, he was Chairman of the Jewish Community Prague.
In the person of Jan Munk we have lost a man of great distinction, widely respected at home as well as abroad.
Kl+Se
