Jan Karski was among the most prominent Poles of the twentieth century. A resistance fighter in World War Two, he reported to the Polish government in exile and the Western Allies on the situation in Poland, especially the destruction of the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto and the extermination camps. After the war, he settled in the United States, where he died in 2000, aged 86.

In recognition of his efforts on behalf of Polish Jews, Karski was made an honorary citizen of Israel. His wartime role was also acknowledged in post-communist Poland, where he received the Order of the White Eagle, the highest Polish state distinction.
For several years now, the New York-based Institute for Jewish Research has granted the Jan Karski Awards for studies about Polish-Jewish relations.

 
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