Source: University of Denver · January 29, 2026
On January 27, 2026, the 81st anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the University of Denver announced a permanent endowed professorship in Holocaust and Antisemitism Studies, the first of its kind. The announcement was made at the Colorado State Capitol, with Governor Jared Polis in attendance.
The professorship will be based in DU’s Center for Judaic Studies, the fourth-oldest in the United States and now marking its 50th anniversary, and its Holocaust Awareness Institute, founded in 1983. It is supported by gifts from the Michael Feiner Family Foundation and from Helene and Marshall Abrahams, and was inspired by Auschwitz survivors Emil and Eva Hecht.
Two survivors from our own community took part. Osi Sladek read from his memoir, Escape to the Tatras, about his experiences as a child survivor. Barbara Steinmetz, whose family fled Europe and found refuge in the Dominican Republic, shared a “Letter to the Future.”
“This professorship represents a permanent commitment—not only to remembrance, but to making Denver a global hub for thoughtful Holocaust education and applied scholarship that helps future generations foster social change.”
“This professorship connects across generations to build the future.”
Why it matters to us: as fewer survivors are able to speak in person, permanent institutions like this one help carry their testimony forward to the next generation of Coloradans.
