Remembered Light is a collection of twenty-five art pieces using glass shards collected from bombed-out European cathedrals, synagogues, and chapels during World War II by the late Frederick McDonald.
There was glass everywhere and I picked up quite a number of these broken pieces that were deeply smoked by the explosion of the bombs. I put them away and then mailed them home. The shards represented something deep that you ought to remember about this. It’s so often a little thing that can bring back a flood or memories into your head.
Previously displayed at
Pritzker Military Museum and Library
10475 12th Street.,
Kenosha, WI 53144
April 1, 2025–October 5, 2025
EXPLORE THE ART
Glass Works By Thirteen Artists
Each piece includes a transcript from the chaplain’s memory of the specific location and events related to it. The unaltered glass fragments and the narratives have been transcended by 13 artists to convey the idea of being a witness of the era one experiences leading to the universal longing for peace.
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01 The Glass Book
Site Unknown
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02 St. Michael’s Cathedral
Coventry, West Midlands, England
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03 St. John’s, Red Lion Square
London, England
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04 Périers, France
Site Unknown
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05 Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Coutances
Coutances, France
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06 Assorted Verdun, Shards
Verdun, France
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07 A Synagogue, a Protestant Church, a Catholic Church
Verdun, France
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08 Cathedral of Saint Stephen
Metz, France
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09 Thionville, France Unidentified Sanctuary
Thionville, France
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10 Malmedy, Belgium Unidentified Sanctuary
Malmedy, Belgium
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11 A Shrine to the Joy of the Hunt
Saint Hubert, Belgium
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12 Collégiale Notre Dame de Dinant
Dinant, Belgium
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13 Verviers, Belgium Unidentified sanctuary
Verviers, Belgium
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14 Bastogne, Belgium Unidentified Sanctuary
Bastogne, Belgium
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15 Maastricht, the Netherlands Unidentified Sanctuary
Maastricht, The Netherlands
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16 Aachen Cathedral
Aachen, Germany
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17 Church of the Holy Ghost
Aachen, Germany
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18 Liebfrauenkirche (Church of Our Lady)
Trier, Germany
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19 Kölner Dom (Cologne Cathedral)
Cologne, Germany
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20 Church of St. Augustine
Wiesbaden, Germany
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21 The Russian Chapel
Wiesbaden, Germany
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22 Frankfurter Dom
Frankfurt, Germany
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23 St. Lorenz
Nuremberg, Germany
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24 The Berghof
Berchtesgaden, Germany
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25 St. Andrew’s English Church
Biarritz, France
FRED’S JOURNEY
Follow Fred’s path through Europe and WWII history
Get a complete picture of the context of the McDonald Peace Windows, through the framework of Fred McDonald’s movement through Europe at the end of the war. Learn more about Fred, World War II history, and the sites he visited through this interactive chronological documentation of Fred’s journey.
A PERMANENT HOME FOR THE WINDOWS
San Francisco, CA
Since 2010, the Interfaith Center of the Presidio has been the home of the McDonald Peace Windows. Built in 1931, the Presidio Chapel now needs a major facelift and expansion to best serve the interfaith center of tomorrow and importantly, to provide a permanent home for the McDonald Windows in a new 1,900 square foot addition. Your support is vital to ensure the windows’ permanent home.
visit the Windows
The exhibition is not currently on display
NEws and Announcements
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Armelle Le Roux presents Remembered Light at the American Glass Guild Conference
At the 2026 American Glass Guild Conference, Armelle Le Roux participated as a speaker presenting the Remembered Light collection.
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Remembered Light featured in Stained Glass magazine
In the Winter 2024/25 edition of Stained Glass, the quarterly magazine of the Stained Glass Association of America, Remembered Light was featured in the News & Opportunities section under Upcoming Exhibitions.
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An Amazing Museum Experience with WTMJ-TV
WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee featured the Remembered Light exhibit at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library in Kenosha, WI. Steph Brown took a spectacular tour with the Director of Museum Collections, Dustin DePue. She describes it as impactful and emotional. The museum ties the past, present and future together. Watch the video here.