Auschwitz Foundation Was Created in 1980 by the Association of Belgian Ex-Political Prisoners of Auschwitz- Birkenau, Camps and Prisons of Silesia

History Remembrance

Survivors

Genocide

Archives

Education

Conferences

Exhibitions

Gestapo

Third Reich Backround and purpose

The Auschwitz Foundation was created in 1980 by the Association of Belgian Ex-Political Prisoners of Auschwitz- Birkenau, Camps and Prisons of Silesia. Its primary objective is to study the history and the remembrance of Nazi crimes and genocide, their awareness, the transmission of their memory, and the preservation of archives related to these events.

To carry out its projects, the Foundation has established a non-profit Center for Studies and Documentation called the Remembrance of Auschwitz. The two institutions work together on the one hand, to promote scientific research and multidisciplinary publications for a broader understan- ding of historical processes that led to the Third Reich, Nazi crimes and genocide of the Jews and, on the other hand, to develop educational projects in intended for didactic com- munities, in particular, and society in general. The works and projects they carry out are definitely multidisciplinary and expand to all political crimes and crimes committed in the distant past or in contemporary history. Scientific activities

Conferences and workshops Organization of international conferences and workshops to promote scientific research and the dissemination of their results: “Primo Levi. The man, the witness, the writer” (2012); “Remembrance voyages. Outcome, news, perspectives & critics” (2012); “The Gestapo headquarters in Brussels – recognition and conservation” (2011); “Art and Propaganda” (2011); “The ‘grey zone’: historical and sociological approach” (2009); “The reception of the work of Primo Levi” (2006); “Psychoanalysis and geno- cides” (2001); “The Future of remembrance” (1999); “The remembrance of Auschwitz in contemporary Art” (1997); “International meetings on the audiovisual testimony of survivors of Nazis concentration and extermination camps” (1994-1996-1998)…

Lecture series Scholars of international stature present an inventory of knowledge on specific topics related to the testimony or remembrance: “The project KZ-memoria scripta at the University of Salzburg: archives - approaches - methods based on Mauthausen”; “Primo Levi: The passage of a witness”…

The Auschwitz Foundation Prize Since 1986, two prizes (€ 6,250 and € 3,125) are awarded annually in recognition of original and unpublished research about the historical processes, social, political, economic, cultural and ideological that led to mass crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide of the Jews. The various juries deliberating on the competing works are composed of university professors and researchers speciali- zing in the topics addressed. Publications

Testify. Between History and Remembrance Review focused on the dissemination of news of multidisciplinary research of Nazi crimes and genocide of the Jews, and issues related to extreme violence and their re- presentation, the magazine is at the heart of most debates on current issues concerning remembrance and history. It lies at the crossroads of many disciplines, from history to literature and the arts, from sociology and psychology to political science (Éditions Kimé – Paris).

Collection Between History and Remembrance It includes works that are specific to literary studies or art as well as humanities and social sciences. The collection is not only trans- and interdisciplinary, but transgeneric. Indeed, the amount of creativity on these topics takes shape in a va- riety of genres. Thus, Between History and Remembrance welcomes testimonials, documentaries, analyzes of films, exhibition catalogs or books for educational purposes, etc. The collection confirms its plurality through a policy sustai- ned by translation (Éditions Kimé – Paris). Exhibitions

Primo Levi FR NL DE With a unique documentary iconography, this exhibition designed for the entire public, exposes them to both the biographical journey and the art work of Primo Levi.

Victims of the image. Manufacturing, FR NL Recovering & Criticizing of snapshots Victims of war, natural disasters, epidemics… This exhibition presents an analysis of power and the meaning of contemporary representations available to us through mass media.

Belgium 1914-1945. Journeys of FR NL witnesses at the heart of the storm Covering the period between the First World War to the liberation of the camps and the return of those deported between 1944 and 1946, the exhibition concludes with an evocation on the remembrance of the composition of camps and the genocide of the Jews by opening an inquiry into the problem of transmission.

Jean Amery FR NL DE Austrian writer (1912-1978), immigrated to Belgium in 1938. Although resistant, he was arrested and tortured by the Gestapo in 1943. Having experienced Breendonk and Auschwitz, his work, both dark and brilliant, is the foundation for a journey that takes him to opt for suicide.

A catalog is available for each exhibition. Educational activities

Education Committee Composed of teachers from different disciplines, it was created to promote initiatives and implement projects in schools.

Traces of remembrance

As the main body of information for the Education Committee, Traces of Remembrance aims to further the objectives and edu- cate all school faculties about the issues of Nazi crimes and genocide.

Educational records Two lesson plans are available to high school teachers: “Auschwitz et le Troisième Reich” and “Félicie Aron-Lewin. Résistante belge – Déportée juive”. A third lesson plan, “Tu seras encore là ?/Zal jij er nog zijn?” is aimed at teachers.

Training seminars For teachers and students, facilitated by specialists from different academic disciplines, the seminars are designed around a body of textual and iconography previously dis- closed to registrants. Among the topics: “The historic cin- ema, between fiction and documentary”; “1914-1945: from a war to another. The Great War, a matrix of genocidal practices of the twentieth century”; “Literature as support for memory: testimony and fiction as a teaching aid”. Travel A study trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau for all audiences is held annually during the Easter holidays. Lasting five days, it is supervised by camp survivors and officials of the association.

Conferences Camp survivors are available to schools wishing that testimonials be presented in class. Panel discussions can also be arranged at the request of schools or any interested association.

Essay Contest It is designed for students of the two final years of up- per secondary education. A prize per province and for the Brussels-Capital Region is awarded jointly with the Provincial Colleges. The award consists of a diploma, a financial prize and an invitation to partake, free of charge, in the annual study trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Partnership The association works with other research centers with similar objectives: CEGES-SOMA (Centre for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society), National Memorial of Fort Breendonk, Kazerne Dossin (Mechelen), IV-INIG/IV-NIOOO (Institute for Veterans - National Institute of Disabled Veterans), CCLJ (Centre culturel laïc juif), The Memorial of the Shoah (Paris), ULB (Université Libre de Bruxelles), UBP (Université Blaise Pascal Clermont-Ferrand)… Among the projects developed in partnership: the “Train of 1000 to Auschwitz-Birkenau”, the “Day of Democracy and Tolerance”. Remembrance Journey

r e s i n n o n M e o d e m n s é e o u s L ç a n h e i C o Neighborhood “Marolles-Midi” c i P r u u The presence of a large Jewish community living around d a B M e u o the Midi Train Station, from 1920 to World War II,d now r u r l a seems largely forgotten. This worke of remembrancev aims v e d l a a r at bringing to mind that history of the neighborhood,u g r o n d i B l through the use of key places and testimonials, in aa way

d t S u to bring back to life the survivor, through artist einstalla- d M e tions and the solid development of videoi archivesu by the d n e i v Auschwitz Foundation, such as the documentary A of Marta

Marín‑Dòmine “From 1930 to 1942. Jewish remembrance r u e S r. a Q of the neighborhood Marolles-Midi“.rd Jamar u i Bouleva er nt ell - e Gh isl ain r s . The Gestapo headquarters in Brussels D r r e u u l e ’ e E n s Three buildings on Avenue Louise, located at 453,n 347 and n d g e B l a e e T a n l l o s ’ t e B 510, were requisitioned duringA the Second World. Ware d by r u u g r e o l u n r the Gestapo. Numerous testimoniesn of e what took place e v there whether interrogation or torture. Thea cellars of the r

first two listed buildings preserve traces – messages en- d

u e t graved on the walls – from the journey of the people who M u a

i H were imprisoned. Our goal is, with the help of the own- d e i u r ers, to inventory them for the sake of keeping the memoriess e a l alive in order to protect and enable their research. B

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C u r Documentation

The library, open to the public by appointment, has over 10,000 books, journals and articles related to the study of fascism, Nazism and the Third Reich along with all dimen- sions of fascist and Nazi crimes. The archives come notably from the Association of Former Political Prisoners of Auschwitz-Birkenau Camps and Prisons of Silesia, and the International Auschwitz Committee (CIA). They also include personal papers of victims of Nazi crimes and genocide, audio and audiovisual testimonies of survivors of concentration camps and extermination camps as well as a picture library. The video library, inaugurated in 2012, offers documentaries, feature films and reports. AUSCHWITZ FOUNDATION* Public Utility Institution REMEMBRANCE OF AUSCHWITZ** Study and Documentation Center

Rue des Tanneurs, 65 – 1000 Brussels Monday to Friday from 9h30 to 16h by appointment

+32 (0)2 512 79 98 – +32 (0)2 512 58 84

[email protected]

www.auschwitz.be

Financial support is granted to cultural initiatives (edition and translation), like the films “Auf Wiedersehen. ‘Til We Meet Again” by Linda G. Mills and Peter Goodrich, “Rwanda 94” of Groupov, or the book “Lands of blood” by Timothy Snyder (Gallimard).

Our activities are supported by: The National Lottery, the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Ethias, P&VAssurances, the French Community Commission, the FPS – Department of War Victims, the City of Brussels, Provinces, Municipalities and the National Bank of Belgium.

* The Auschwitz Foundation, Public Utility Institution, is recognized as a “Resource Center” under the Remembrance Decree of March 13, 2009 of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. ** The Remembrance of Auschwitz is a nonprofit organization (NPO) of Continuing Education recognized by the Federation Wallonia-Brussels.