Traveling Exhibit: “Ravensbrück – We Who Lived There” Coming to Lee County Libraries 

Lee County, FL, Feb. 19 2020 – The exhibition Ravensbrück – We Who Lived There will be displayed for the first time in the United States in three Lee County Library System branches.

The display, in both English and Swedish, was created by high-school students on the Advanced History Program and the IB Diploma Program at Katedralskolan in Lund, Sweden. The display was brought to the United States by Better Futures Foundation, a Sarasota based nonprofit organization.

“The Library System is honored to be able to host this exhibit in our branches, which sheds light on the personal experiences of recently liberated Holocaust survivors,” Library Director Mindi Simon said.

Patrons can view the traveling exhibit throughout Lee County at the following libraries:

Feb. 19 – March 14 2020

Lakes Regional Library

15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33919

March 17 – April 13 2020

East County Regional Library

881 Gunnery Road, Lehigh Acres, FL 33971

April 15 – May 15 2020

Northwest Regional Library

519 Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral, FL 33993

“Based on interviews that took place immediately after the liberation of Holocaust victims to Malmo, Sweden, this exhibit provides insight into all aspects of life in Ravensbrück – a concentration camp only for women and children,” said Richard Ohlsson, President of Better Futures. “General knowledge about the Holocaust becomes less abstract and less theoretical when the women’s stories from arrival and through the liberation of Ravensbrück are told.”

Toward the end of World War II, about 20,000 Nazi concentration camp survivors were evacuated to Sweden. With the intent of documenting the war crimes and the experiences of the victims, a working group called “The Polish Research Institute in Lund” was founded to conduct in-depth interviews with the former prisoners and collect material that the survivors had brought with them from the camps. This exhibit is the resulting presentation of this unique collection of source material from the survivors of Ravensbrück and other Nazi concentration camps.

More info can be found at: https://www.ub.lu.se/witnessing-genocide

The ongoing exhibit at Florida Gulf Coast University’s Wilson G. Bradshaw Library “To Life: The Liberation of Ravensbrück” and “Ravensbrück – We Who Lived There” directly relate to and complement each other. The community is invited to take the opportunity to visit both exhibitions while they are on display through May.

Media contact: Betsy Clayton, APR/CPRC,  Communications Director, Lee County Government, 239-826-4606, [email protected]

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About the Lee County Library System:

The Lee County Library System, founded in 1964, has 13 branches to serve Lee County residents. The library currently has over 1.5 million items available for patrons to use or check out, and circulates more than 6 million items per year. Currently more than 294,000 Lee County residents are registered users.

All locations and events are open to the public. The library offers meeting rooms for nonprofit groups, organizations, and individuals to use during library hours for no charge.  The system has an online catalog to browse library materials, free Wi-Fi, public access computers, scan and print capabilities and much more. For more information, call 239-479-INFO (4636) or visit www.leelibrary.net.

Better Futures Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Sarasota. The historic Swedish Red Cross White Bus rescue action from World War II is their symbol. Better Futures is inspired by the ordinary heroes who created a life-changing outcome for thousands of Holocaust victims. Their White Bus for Better Futures™ character-building programs promote social, inter-cultural, and civic competencies. Visit Better-Futures.com to learn more.

Additional Information: 

Richard Ohlsson

Better Futures Foundation

(941) 315-5125

[email protected]