Lest We Forget – Exhibition by Luigi Toscano in St. Louis 2026 

The Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Foundation supported the project, as it had previously been involved in the presentation of the exhibition in Leverkusen in May 2025.

The aim of the project was to shed light on the survivors’ stories and to send a powerful message against anti-Semitism, racism, and hatred. In St. Louis, Lest We Forget was displayed at THE DISTRICT, a modern public gathering space in the city, where it reached a broad and diverse audience.

For the first time, the exhibition was shown in schools in the United States. Two schools in St. Louis each displayed about 20 portraits on their campuses and actively integrated the exhibition into their curricula. The presentations were accompanied by workshops and discussion panels with Luigi Toscano, experts, and—where possible—Holocaust survivors. In addition, educational material was provided, partly developed with the support of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM). Similar school presentations in Germany have received a very positive response in recent years.

To accompany the exhibition, a diverse public program was carried out in cooperation with local partner institutions. This included a concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as part of the Holocaust Composers Series, a public discussion at the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum, and a film screening followed by a panel discussion. Other/Additional program events/offerings were realized in collaboration with the Missouri History Museum, the Chesterfield Library, and other cultural and educational institutions in the region.

The project was funded by Bayer USA and the Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Foundation, with (additional) support from numerous local sponsors and partners in St. Louis.   

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