Letters, photographs, and keepsakes once tucked away will soon be on display across Arizona. Each tells a story of survival and courage in Triumph in Tragedy, a new traveling exhibit honoring Holocaust memory.
Organized by the Arizona Jewish Historical Society and the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center, the multi-venue exhibit series brings rarely shared survivor stories and personal artifacts to communities across Arizona.
The first two exhibits are already open, in Scottsdale and Prescott. Three more — in Tucson, Phoenix and Tempe — are scheduled to open by year’s end. All five exhibits will remain on display through 2026.
The series is a tribute to the enduring legacy of Holocaust memory and education, inspired by local survivors such as Oskar Knoblauch, Sam Hilton, Rosie and Irving Guttman, Gerda and Kurt Klein, Esther Basch, Andrew Schot and others.
“It’s a humbling feeling, you know. In Yiddish, it’s called the mitzvah,” said Anthony Fusco, Holocaust education director at the Arizona Jewish Historical Society. “I think, for me, doing this work is being able to not only secure the survival testimony of a Holocaust survivor, but (also being) able to really educate and provide, hopefully, a better world that the survivor leaves.
“So that is, in a way, what the hope and the goal is here. But I think for the most part, it’s primarily to make sure that people never forget and never again, with the concept of making sure that the worst calamity in human history is always remembered.”
Triumph in Tragedy came about as an effort for the Arizona Jewish Historical Society to stay relevant during the temporary closure of its Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center in downtown Phoenix. The center is closed for the construction of the new Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center.
By pairing survivors’ stories with those who helped shape their experiences, the exhibits illuminate the resilience of human connection and courage in the face of persecution and loss. At Yavapai Community College, for example, members of the public can find the paired stories of recently deceased survivor Esther Basch and the U.S. Liberator, Max Lieber, who remembered her as “Honey Girl.”
With powerful personal stories and artifacts, the Arizona Jewish Historical Society is using resonant storytelling to foster dialogue and historical awareness — ensuring that the lessons of history resonate across generations and geographies by presenting these narratives in diverse communities across Arizona.
Exhibits are already open in Scottsdale at the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, featuring stories from Sam Hilton and Mordechai Anielewicz, and in Prescott at Yavapai Community College, featuring stories from Esther Basch and Max Lieber. The exhibits will run until May 29 and Aug. 31, 2026, respectively.
Other exhibits featuring the stories of survivors, liberators, resistance fighters, and other notable individuals will be located in Tucson, Phoenix, and Tempe.
The Tucson Jewish Museum and Holocaust Center will host an exhibit from late November through August 2026. Featured stories will be from Andrew Schot and Margot Frank.
The Arizona Capitol Museum’s exhibit will open on Nov. 19, 2025, and run through 2026. Featured stories are from Oskar Knoblauch, Nazi Officer Eckert and Rosie and Irving Guttman.
Lastly, the Tempe History Museum will host an exhibit from Dec. 17, 2025, through April 2, 2026. Featured stories will be from Gerda Weissmann Klein and Kurt Klein.
Exhibits are open to the public; members of the community need not buy or reserve tickets or times. Those who wish to visit an exhibit may do so during each location’s respective business hours.
Each exhibit will feature companion events, such as a cultural competency training at the Valley of the Sun JCC on Nov. 14, presented by the nonprofit organization Jewish Family and Children’s Service. Or an “Our Parents’ Stories” presentation by Vivian Ullman, daughter of Gerda Weissmann Klein, which will debut in early 2026.
As the number of remaining Holocaust survivors dwindles, it’s imperative to preserve their stories for the education of and connection with current and future generations, Fusco said. He emphasized his hope that people will learn from the exhibits and experiences and go forth with a deeper understanding and good intentions.
“As time fleets, so do our aging survivors,” Fusco said. “They leave us, and so when we see the evils of hatred or the rise of antisemitism around the world, it’s important to combat it. When it comes down to it, education is paramount to that.”
Sponsors of the Triumph in Tragedy series are the Phoenix Holocaust Association, Martin-Springer Institute, Tempe History Museum, Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center, Arizona Capitol Museum, Arizona State University’s Jewish Studies Program, the Claims Conference and the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
“There’s a number of different, wonderful opportunities where people are going to be able to see these installations, learn from them, and hopefully walk away with a greater understanding not just about the Holocaust, but also an anticipatory set of what’s to come with the Hilton Family Holocaust Education Center,” Fusco said.