Woman in Boots:
Dignity in Genocide

On December 14, 1941 in Riga, Latvia, police officers rounded up the city’s 5,700 Jewish residents. The women and children were separated from the men, then transported to the dunes along the Baltic Sea near the city of Liepāja, where a mass grave had been prepared. Now known as the Liepāja massacre, nearly half of Riga’s Jewish population was murdered that day. 

The women were forced to undress before their execution. One among them stood defiant, refusing to remove her boots. This quiet yet powerful act of resistance, alongside four others—one woman and three girls—embodied unshakable courage and dignity in the face of certain death. To this day, her brave act has become a symbol of hope, defiance, and the enduring strength of the human spirit. A Nazi photographer captured their final moments, which formed the basis for our memorial.

The Shoah Memorial of Fairfield, Connecticut (SMFC) is a nonprofit dedicated to the installation of She Wouldn’t Take Off Her Boots, the second sculptural memorial of its kind by esteemed artist Victoria Milstein. This deeply moving sculpture will be on permanent display on the campus of Fairfield University in Fairfield, CT in July 2026. 

Much like its predecessor in Greensboro, NC, this new sculpture provokes thought and inspires engagement. At the heart of the memorial stands a bronze camera, symbolizing the Nazi photographer’s lens through which the victims’ last moments were documented. By interacting with the camera’s lens, viewers—especially students—become witnesses, observing the stark contrast to the photographer’s original intent. This immersive experience creates a deep, personal connection with the history and lessons of the Holocaust.