People, not numbersThe Popiela Family “Centrum” Foundation

People,
not numbers

Commemorating by name the Jewish victims of the Holocaust in Lesser Poland. Seven places, thousands of names restored.

See the places About the project
17,628 See all the names
Krościenko nad Dunajcem
Archival photograph of a Jewish family, Krościenko nad DunajcemArchival photograph of a Jewish family, GrybówArchival photograph of a Jewish family, Czarny DunajecArchival photograph of a Jewish family, Nowy TargArchival photograph of a Jewish family, Nowy SączArchival photograph of a Jewish family, Podwilk

Because everyone had a name

The Popiela Family “Centrum” Foundation was established in 2018 on the initiative of Dariusz Popiela. Its main aim is to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust by name and to restore the memory of the national, ethnic and religious minorities who have lived in Poland.

We locate mass graves, care for cemeteries and erect memorials bearing the names of all those who were murdered.

About the foundation

אֶרֶץ אַל־תְּכַסִּי דָמִי

“O earth, cover not my blood, and let my cry have no resting place”

Job 16:18. Inscription on the memorial in Krościenko nad Dunajcem.
Memorial bearing the names of 256 victims at the Jewish cemetery in Krościenko nad Dunajcem
The memorial in Krościenko nad Dunajcem. Photo: Jacek Taran

Film of the memorial’s unveiling

Grybów, 3 November 2019. Films from the places of remembrance

Commemorated by name

  1. Krościenko256
  2. Grybów1,774
  3. Czarny Dunajec494
  4. Nowy Targ2,866
  5. Nowy Sącz11,966
  6. Podwilk154
  7. Piwniczna-Zdrój232

In total 17,742

Nowy Sącz

Nowy Sącz

11,966 names

The largest commemoration in the history of the project, opened on 28 August 2022.

The Holocaust Victims Memorial Square in Nowy Sącz: 11,966 names. Nowy Sącz has joined the cities that commemorate victims by name, such as Amsterdam, Vienna and Paris.

Read the history List of names

Places of remembrance

The foundation’s projects, from Krościenko in 2018 to Nowy Sącz in 2022. Choose a point on the map or a place from the list.

  1. 01Krościenko nad Dunajcem256 names2018
  2. 02Grybów1,774 names2019
  3. 03Czarny Dunajec494 names2020
  4. 04Nowy Targ2,866 names2021
  5. 05Nowy Sącz11,966 names2022
  6. 06Podwilk154 names2025
  7. 07Piwniczna-Zdrój232 names2026

The work goes on

Since 2018, one town after another has recovered the names of its residents. Each new commemoration is made possible by donors.

  1. 2018256Krościenko
  2. 20191,774Grybów
  3. 2020494Czarny Dunajec
  4. 20212,866Nowy Targ
  5. 202211,966Nowy Sącz
  6. 2025154Podwilk
  7. 2026232Piwniczna-Zdrój

More names are waiting for their stone.Remember with us

How we work

Every commemoration follows the same path: from the archive to the reading of names at the memorial.

  1. 01

    Research

    Archival research and consultation with experts. Work at cemeteries is carried out in accordance with Halakha, under the supervision of the Rabbinical Commission for Cemeteries.

  2. 02

    Guardians of memory

    We begin with the people who have cared for years for the memory of their Jewish neighbours. The project is created together with them.

  3. 03

    Searching

    The lists of victims are the result of years of searching, made possible by the commitment of the guardians of memory and our own experience. We search all archives connected with the Holocaust, including in Israel, the USA, Germany and Poland. Together with the Rabbinical Commission we locate mass graves within the cemeteries.

  4. 04

    Education

    We publish biographies, meet with students and install educational panels beside the memorials. We organise school trips to sites of memory.

  5. 05

    The ceremony

    The unveiling of a memorial is a symbolic burial of the victims. We always read out every name.

  6. 06

    Raising awareness

    Flags, posters, light installations and murals. For the duration of a project, memory returns to the town.

Our supporters

Fundacja Ledor Wador

Fundacja Ledor Wador

Strategic partner. Main sponsor of the project.

We have worked together since 2022.

From 2018 to 2021 the project received grants and support from

  • Konsulat Generalny Republiki Federalnej Niemiec w Krakowie
  • Fundacja Rodziny Nissenbaumów
  • Stowarzyszenie Żydowski Instytut Historyczny w Polsce
  • Fundacja Forum Dialogu

In cooperation with

  • Sądecki Sztetl
  • Fundacja Zapomniane
  • Fundacja Pamięć Treblinki
  • Komisja Rabiniczna ds. Cmentarzy

From the blog

Translated from the Polish originals. Full texts of some posts are still being translated.

Wpis testowyTo jest wpis testowy sprawdzający panel. Zostanie usunięty.GrybówThis is why we do itPodwilkMemory carved in stonePodwilkA new projectPodwilkWe remember 19 AprilNowy Targ

All posts

Support the project

Every commemoration is made possible by donors. Choose the way that suits you.

PatroniteRegular monthly support for the work of Dariusz Popiela and the project “People, not numbers”.Become a patron Fundraiser for the memorial in KrościenkoA fundraiser on pomagam.pl for a symbolic broken matzevah bearing the names of the murdered Jewish residents of Krościenko nad Dunajcem, and for the restoration of the cemetery.33,739 zł 112%pomagam.pl · 124 people supported the fundraiser. As of October 2026.View the fundraiser Bank transfer to the foundationDonations in złoty, euro and US dollars. Every amount goes towards memorials, panels and the care of cemeteries.17 1240 4719 1111 0011 0297 8895Account numbers