Since April 16, 2007, the glass hall located in the courtyard of the Holocaust Memorial Center bears the name of Tower of Lost Communities. Its twelve unique glass panes are the work of graphic artist László Zsótér. Imre Rákos researched and compiled the names of the settlements. Visitors pass through this hall to reach the exhibition space located below ground level.

The names of 1,441 settlements are inscribed on the side of the tower. These are the names of the settlements where, as a result of the deportations carried out by the authorities in 1944, the Jewish communities have ceased to exist. While the Memorial Wall of Victims commemorates individual tragedies, the names of the settlements inscribed on the glass tower serve as a memorial to the senseless and cruel destruction of entire communities.

“The glass hall leading to the permanent exhibition is also constructed on tilted pillars. The inspiration comes from nature, from Tuscany, where a line of pine trees took on this shape as a result of the constant coastal storms. I see those who were murdered as a symbol of the steadfast struggle for survival that has continued for thousands of years, and I would like to convey this through this work. With an emphasis on the genius loci, I honor the Jewish people, but also every innocent person who was deported.”

Architect István Mányi