Statue of Jan Karski (New York City)

The bronze figure seated on this bench represents Jan Karski, a Polish resistance fighter who risked his life to alert the Western Allies about the horrors of the Holocaust. During World War II, Karski infiltrated the Warsaw Ghetto and transit camps to gather firsthand evidence of Nazi atrocities, which he then carried across occupied Europe to warn leaders like President Franklin Roosevelt. Despite his urgent testimony, world leaders largely failed to act on the information he provided. After the war, Karski moved to the United States and spent forty years teaching international affairs at Georgetown University. This sculpture, created by artist Karol Badyna, depicts him in his later years with a chessboard beside him, an homage to his favorite pastime. Visitors are encouraged to sit on the empty side of the bench, inviting a moment of silent reflection next to a man who spent his life insisting that the world confront the reality of evil.