Vedem: The Underground Magazine of the Terezin Ghetto
Created by Rina Taraseiskey, Danny King and Michael Murphy, creative director.

A special exhibition at the Museum of Tolerance,
May 5, 2016 through July 21, 2016

During World War II, a group of 13 to 15 year old boys held captive at Terezin Ghetto risked their lives to create Vedem, a magazine documenting their harrowing experience.

During World War II, a group of 13 to 15 year old boys held captive within the Terezin Concentration Camp (Ghetto) miles outside of Prague, risked their lives to expose the truth behind one of the Nazi’s most elaborate hoaxes. These courageous teenagers created Vedem (“In the Lead” in Czech), the longest running underground magazine to be produced by prisoners inside a Nazi camp. From 1942-1944, Vedem’s adolescent writers and illustrators documented their harrowing existence with defiance, humor, heartbreak and poignancy from behind the blackout shades of their cellblock, and created an enduring example of spiritual resistance. 

At Vedem’s helm was Petr Ginz. He was Vedem’s Founder and Editor–in-Chief. Petr was born in Prague to a Jewish Father and non-Jewish mother. He was deported to Terezin alone in 1942. An artistic prodigy and author of 8 novels as a pre-teen, Petr was Vedem’s driving force. Constantly editing and writing from his bunk, he distracted his fellow teenage inmates from the deplorable conditions in the Camp by pushing them for articles. Between issues, Peter hid Vedem’s unfinished issues behind his bunk.

Included with admission to the Main Museum Level or the Anne Frank Exhibit. Free for MOT members.