Vandalized Auschwitz Survivor Mural Resurrected at Rome’s Shoah Museum in Defiant Stand Against Anti-Semitism

Vandalized Auschwitz Survivor Mural Resurrected at Rome’s Shoah Museum in Defiant Stand Against Anti-Semitism

Edited by: Fern Sidman

The Shoah Museum in Rome has taken a powerful stand against anti-Semitism by exhibiting a mural that was repeatedly defaced and ultimately erased in Milan. The mural, originally painted by acclaimed Italian pop artist aleXsandro Palombo, portrays two of Italy’s last surviving Auschwitz concentration camp survivors—Italian Senator for Life Liliana Segre and author Sami Modiano. According to a report that appeared on Thursday on the Algemeiner.com website, after the artwork was destroyed by vandals in Milan, the museum revived it as a permanent tribute to Holocaust memory, resilience, and the ongoing fight against anti-Semitism.

The mural, titled “Anti-Semitism, History Repeating,” was first unveiled in September 2024 in Piazzale Loreto, a public square in Milan with deep historical significance. The artwork depicted Segre and Modiano in concentration camp uniforms, layered beneath bulletproof vests emblazoned with yellow Stars of David marked with the word “Jude.” The imagery was stark and evocative, serving as both a commemoration and a warning against the resurgence of anti-Semitic hatred.

As the report at Algemeiner.com recounted, the mural became a target almost immediately. In October, vandals partially defaced the Stars of David. The following month, the damage escalated when both the stars and the faces of the survivors were scraped off. Finally, in December, anti-Semitic vandals obliterated the entire mural with white paint, erasing it completely from public view. This deliberate act of erasure struck a deep nerve, as it mirrored the historical attempts to silence Jewish memory and suffering.

Rather than allowing this act of symbolic violence to succeed, the Shoah Museum in Rome made the bold decision to reclaim and restore the mural. As per the information provided in the Algemeiner.com report, the museum worked closely with Palombo to recreate the piece and relocate it to a place of greater historical significance—the Jewish Ghetto of Rome.

The new installation stands outside the Portico d’Ottavia, a structure that once formed the heart of Rome’s Jewish quarter. Directly above the mural is a plaque commemorating the infamous Nazi roundup of Jews from the Roman Ghetto on October 16, 1943. The museum unveiled the artwork in its new location on Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. The mural will remain on public display outside until February 2, after which it will become part of the museum’s permanent collection at Casina dei Vallati.

Palombo, whose work often tackles themes of social justice and historical memory, described the museum’s decision to revive the mural as an act of defiance. The report at Algemeiner.com cited his statement that “art is the highest expression of freedom,” and that the repeated attacks on the mural demonstrated “how the very value of democracy and all our freedoms is in danger.” He praised the Shoah Museum and the Italian Jewish community for their resilience, calling the relocation of the mural “a great and precious lesson in civilization.”

Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, echoed these sentiments during the unveiling ceremony, describing the mural’s reinstallation as “the beginning of a new story, a tribute to these great witnesses, an act of justice and a dutiful commitment against anti-Semitism.” According to the information in the Algemeiner.com report, Gualtieri emphasized that displaying the mural in Rome—especially near the site of the 1943 deportations—serves as a powerful counterpoint to those who seek to erase history.

Mario Venezia, president of the Shoah Museum in Rome, also expressed his outrage over the Milan vandalism. As the Algemeiner.com reported, he described the destruction of the mural as “a despicable and senseless gesture that not only strikes at art but attempts to wound the very heart of memory.” He stressed that the museum refused to “surrender to this symbolic violence,” choosing instead to turn “anger into an act of beauty and resistance.”

Venezia placed an emphasis on the deeper significance of the museum’s decision, telling Algemeiner.com, “This mural is our response: a wound that heals, a symbol that comes back to life stronger than before, because Memory cannot be defaced.” The defiant relocation of the artwork sends a clear message: history will not be forgotten, and attempts to erase Jewish memory will only strengthen the commitment to preserving it.

To further commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, Venezia, alongside the mayor of Rome and a group of Roman schoolchildren, traveled to Poland to visit the site of the former Auschwitz concentration camp. Their visit served as a solemn reminder of why remembrance remains essential in an era where anti-Semitism is resurging across Europe and beyond.

Liliana Segre, one of the subjects of the mural and a lifelong advocate for Holocaust education, attended the unveiling ceremony in Rome. The Algemeiner.com report indicated that she was accompanied by Israeli Ambassador to Italy Jonathan Peled, Chief Rabbi of Rome Riccardo Di Segni, Vice President of the Jewish Community of Rome Antonella Di Castro, and UCEI President Noemi Di Segni.

Segre, now 93, has long warned of the dangers of forgetting the past. She has spoken extensively about her experiences in Auschwitz and has been a vocal critic of contemporary anti-Semitic rhetoric and violence. By standing before the recreated mural, she reaffirmed her commitment to ensuring that the lessons of the Holocaust are never lost.

The journey of “Anti-Semitism, History Repeating” from Milan to Rome is more than just the story of a vandalized mural—it is a testament to the resilience of Holocaust memory and the enduring fight against anti-Semitism. As Algemeiner.com has reported, the Shoah Museum’s decision to reclaim and permanently house the mural transforms an act of hate into an act of defiance.

By placing the artwork in the heart of Rome’s historic Jewish Ghetto, the museum has ensured that the stories of Liliana Segre, Sami Modiano, and millions of Holocaust victims will not be erased. This mural now stands as a powerful symbol of remembrance, resistance, and the unbreakable link between past and present. In an era where anti-Semitic attacks continue to rise, initiatives like these serve as crucial reminders that history must be confronted, preserved, and defended—now and always.