Never Forgive, Never Forget: The Leon Greenman Archive

Fig. 1 -2024.9.4i. “Silent Never” poster by Leon Greenman.

London-born Leon Greenman was a father and a husband living in the Netherlands at the time of Nazi occupation. He was unable to prove his and his family’s British identity and they were first sent to the deportation camp Westerbork and then on to Auschwitz-Birkenau where his wife Else and his son Barney were murdered upon arrival. Leon survived 18 months of concentration and labour camps and made a promise to share his story and that of others who could not.

By 1946 , he became a campaigner for Holocaust education, spreading his testimony so that nobody would forget or question the validity of the atrocities that occurred. He spoke to anyone who would listen, particularly schools where his words could reach large groups of young people. His motto ‘Never forgive, never forget’ guided him through the years following the war. As he actively embraced his role as educator and campaigner, he often used his tattooed number- 98288- to both raise awareness and inform about the horrors that many like him endured. No matter his way of remembering and working through this trauma, Leon recognised the importance of education in preventing an event like the Holocaust from ever happening again as well as fighting against Antisemitism in Britain.

Leon Greenman’s testimony and legacy was previously told in the Holocaust Gallery of the museum’ site in Camden. While visitors might not be able to visit the gallery anymore, the Leon Greenman Archive is still vast and an important part of the Jewish Museum’s collection.

A selection of items and images from Holocaust survivor Leon Greenman’s life can be found within the gallery dedicated in his honour at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum. The University of Nottingham’s Manuscripts and Collections department is also hosting the Leon Greenman archive during this period of transition. The archive contains a range of material relating to Greenman’s life, including items which have previously been displayed or used in research, and uncatalogued material which will be methodically registered over the coming years.

During our three months placements in the Collections department, we have been able to catalogue and digitise some of the material in the archive, particularly objects primarily related to his life post-1945. Most of these speak to his work as Holocaust educator and campaigner like the two placards below, which were created by Leon himself to use in his talks or during marches.

Fig. 2 – 2024.9.4a “Leon Greenman is here” poster by Leon Greenman.

Fig. 3 – 2024.9.4c “Do not let this happen again” poster by Leon Greenman.

Beside his work as campaigner for Holocaust education, the archive contains various objects that mark his loss, suffering, as well as the resilience he showed against the atrocities committed by the Nazi regime. As a survivor, Leon’s life was profoundly affected by the memories of his loved ones who perished and the struggle for survival in the camps. These experiences left indelible scars which instilled in him a powerful sense of duty not only to share his testimony using different resources and platforms, but also to reflect on his enduring commitment to memory and history.

Fig. 4 – 2024.9.1  Annotated map of the city of Rotterdam.

Many of the objects in the archive speak to Leon Greenman’s memory work. The annotated map of Rotterdam for instance provides a glimpse into Leon’s pre-war life, the city where he grew up and started a family with his wife Esther. The map illustrates where he and his family had lived. Leon marked other significant locations in the city. Similarly, the annotated photocopy of the map of northern Netherlands further emphasizes Leon’s connection to key locations central to his harrowing experiences. The names of cities like Assen, Hooghalen, and Westerbork (where he resided temporarily after the liberation), recall key areas of his memory work.

The annotated map of Europe’s railway system reveals the extensive network of places linked to his survival. By highlighting different routes and cities he passed through, Leon used this map to document his movements after the liberation, from Assen to Rotterdam, passing 6 cities, before arriving in London. This map serves as a testament to his memory work, tracing back a key moment of the journey he went through to start a new life after the war.

Fig. 5 – 2024.9. 2  Annotated map of Europe.

Finally, correspondence with the Dutch Red Cross adds a deeply personal dimension to this collection. Responding to Greenman’s inquiry about the fate of his family members, the letters highlight the ongoing impact of his traumatic past and his relentless quest for the truth. It provides details about his loved ones, anchoring his personal loss within the broader tragedy of the Holocaust.

Together, these artefacts not only document Leon Greenman’s survival but also his dedication to preserving the memory of the Holocaust for future generations.

Working on the Leon Greenman Archive has allowed us to reflect on the perseverance and resilience of Holocaust survivors like Leon, as even after being liberated, they still had to endure unwieldy Antisemitism. The Jewish Museum London has done an excellent job in continuing Leon’s mission and providing education and a place to reflect on Jewish history and culture. We believe that if Leon Greenman were alive today, he would be pleased to see that his work as a campaigner is continuing even in his absence and that placements like us are still uncovering his story.