In conversation with Philippe Sands and Deborah Posel

He will be joined by Deborah Posel, whose remarkable book A Darker Shade of Pale uncovers the hidden story of global migration at the turn of the twentieth century, from Lithuania to the British colony of South Africa.

Through the story of her grandfather, Maurice Posel, she illuminates the struggles and aspirations of countless others, using the intimacy of a single narrative to explore much broader historical themes.

This conversation will complement the exhibition exploring Jewish life in Lithuania before the Holocaust. The project brings together photographs, letters, and personal stories shared by members of the UK Jewish community of Lithuanian descent. It traces a vibrant and deeply rooted society, follows the largest wave of Jewish migration in modern history between 1881 and 1914, and reflects on how the Lithuanian Jewish diaspora continues to shape life in Britain today.

The exhibition will also explore themes of memory, belonging, and the act of remembering, how stories are preserved, transmitted, and reimagined across generations.