In the Polish town of Oświęcim, home to 34,000 people, there’s only one Jewish resident: Hila Weisz-Gut. It’s a striking choice, considering the town’s dark history. Just a short distance away lies Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi concentration camp where over 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were killed during World War II.

Weisz-Gut’s own family history is deeply tied to this tragedy. Her grandmother survived Auschwitz III-Monowitz, a subcamp of the complex, while nearly every other member of her family perished. Today, Weisz-Gut can see the camp’s remnants from her bedroom window. She moved to Oświęcim in 2023 to join her Polish husband, fully aware of the town’s painful past.

Despite facing skepticism from others in the Jewish community, Weisz-Gut says her neighbors have been welcoming. “I haven’t had even one altercation connected to antisemitism,” she shared. Yet, as Europe marks the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, antisemitism is on the rise. Reports show a 400% spike in hate incidents since the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, fueled by tensions in the Middle East and the growing influence of far-right groups.

Weisz-Gut works at Oświęcim’s Oshpitzin Jewish Museum, educating visitors about the town’s once-thriving Jewish community. For her, living in Oświęcim is a powerful statement. “They tried to break us and exterminate us, but they failed,” she said. “We are the generation that is here to say, ‘You didn’t succeed. No more. Not again.’”

The rise in antisemitism isn’t limited to Poland. In the UK, a record 1,978 incidents were reported in the first half of 2024. France and Germany have also seen sharp increases in hate crimes. Much of this hostility plays out online, where hate speech often goes unchecked.

Despite the challenges, Weisz-Gut remains committed to her life in Oświęcim. “It’s devastating,” she said, reflecting on recent events. “But I’m here to remind the world that we’re still standing.” Her presence in a place so deeply scarred by history serves as a poignant reminder of resilience in the face of hatred.