O Ś WIĘ CIM ISSN 1899-4407 PEOPLE

CULTURE HISTORY

JANUARY 1945 AT AUSCHWITZ THE POLISH – GERMAN PROJECT HALLOWED BY THY NAME

no. 13 Janary 2010 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

EDITORIAL BOARD: Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine EDITORIAL

On January 27, we are commemorat- evidenced in 2009, when 1.3 million deadly threat to the prisoners. Finally, ing the 65th anniversary of the libera- people from all continents visited the the day of liberation came. tion of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Con- memorial site. We recommend that you pay particular centration Camp. This is an especially Last month, we published accounts of attention to the articles about the semi- important date, ending the 1,689 days previous yearly commemorations; in nars at the International Youth Meeting of the camp’s existence, created by Nazi the January issue of Oś we will remem- Center, which was about women dur- Editor: Germany, which had the dual function ber the last days before the liberation. ing . On the pages of the Paweł Sawicki of a concentration and extermination The camp was found in a state of cha- Center for Dialogue and Prayer, we are Editorial secretary: camp. Auschwitz has become a symbol os. Thousands of marched out publishing reports from retreats, dur- Agnieszka Juskowiak-Sawicka for many religions, nationalities and through the gates on the evacuation ing which discussion revolved around Editorial board: cultures, as well as a reference point for marches, the so-called Death Marches, praying to our God, as seen by two reli- Bartosz Bartyzel many different currents of philosophy, documents were burned, and the cre- gions—Judaism and Christianity. Also Wiktor Boberek Jarek Mensfelt social sciences, and global politics. The matoria and gas chambers were de- included in Oś is a review of the play Olga Onyszkiewicz world continues to try to understand— stroyed using explosives. In the end, the The Wardrobe, which was performed at Jadwiga Pinderska-Lech with varying success—lessons learned SS escaped from the camp, however, for the Jewish Center. Artur Szyndler from the history and experiences of those prisoners left behind this did not Paweł Sawicki Columnist: Auschwitz. And most importantly, the mean peace; German units came to the Editor-in-chief Mirosław Ganobis world remembers what this means as camps and the very last minute were a [email protected] Design and layout: Agnieszka Matuła, Grafi kon Translations: David R. Kennedy Proofreading: A GALLERY OF THE 20TH CENTURY Beata Kłos Cover: MDSM On various occasions, from the need immediately—getting into the car, pastoral tranquility of this place... Photographer: to guide some around this place because who wouldn’t have wanted to There was high grass, birch groves, Tomasz Mól because of national or church related take a ride in a luxurious Lancia during rows of barracks, fences, and countless commemorations, in different years and a time when the “kings” of our roads ruins. The memorial had not yet been seasons—I have visited our Auschwitz were inelegant Warszawas, Syrenas, installed. Museum. and Wartburgs?! After several hours, the couple, PUBLISHER: I will describe the circumstances of one We are driving to Auschwitz I. The Adriano Tiberini and his wife Laura of these visits. Italian couple—he, most likely middle, from —because they fi nally Auschwitz-Birkenau In the early 1960s, summer... with or higher class businessman and his introduced themselves—thanked us for State Museum a cousin from Wrocław, who spent pretty wife, with whom I tried to the company. We exchanged addresses; www.auschwitz.org.pl his vacation with us, we were taking a speak with in English—but our mutual they invited us, not knowing about our walk, as we did every day, around our linguistic skills were almost non- passports, foreign exchange problems, town. In the area, called Niwa, where existent—she walked silently and deep and material inability. After some time, there currently is a roundabout, an thought past the Museum’s artifacts. At we received a small package from PARTNERS: elegant car with Italian license plates fi rst, they were confounded by the type Milan: in an elegant case a fountain pen stopped near us. A handsome man and and shape of the camp’s buildings: not and two “Parker” pens, not available in Jewish Center an elegant lady, with Mediterranean brittle barracks, but a city of tenements. our market. We reciprocated by sending looks, were its passengers. After trying Piles of hair, shoes, suitcases, and them an album about Polish art, which www.ajcf.pl to communicate in different languages, prosthetic limbs did make an impression was printed rather well for the time. the man in the car and my cousin on them. They especially showed their After that, there were a few more post stumbled upon the French language, emotions in the crematorium building cards from their journeys around Europe in which their exchange was fl uent. and by the gallows on which the camp and ours—to the Bieszczady Mountains. Center for Dialogue The travelers asked us if we wouldn’t commandant Hoess had been executed. However, just as everything—it ended, and Prayer Foundation guide them directly to the Museum In Birkenau, they took in its enormity. leaving a handful of good memories. itself, an offer that we jumped upon They listened to the quiet and almost Andrzej Winogrodzki www.centrum-dialogu.oswiecim.pl

International Youth Meeting Center www.mdsm.pl

IN COOPERATION WITH:

Kasztelania www.kasztelania.pl

State Higher Vocational School in Oświęcim www.pwsz-oswiecim.pl

Editorial address: „Oś – Oświęcim, Ludzie, Historia, Kultura” Państwowe Muzeum Auschwitz-Birkenau ul. Więźniów Oświęcimia 20 32-603 Oświęcim e-mail: [email protected] www.kasztelania.pl Grounds of the former Auschwitz camp. Photo from the “Gallery of the 20th Century Collection”

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

THE ATTENDANCE RECORD—1.3 MILLION VISITORS AT AUSCHWITZ MEMORIAL

million people from all around the world have visited the Auschwitz Memorial in 2009. This is the record in the 62-year history of the Museum. It’s very important that the majority of visitors are 1.3 young people—pupils and students. There were over 821 thousand of them—that is 120 thousand more than in 2008. Auschwitz Memorial has been the most visited Museum in for a number of years.

“The importance of this Museum Director Dr. Piotr place in the history of the M.A. Cywiński. world cannot be overesti- mated. It is diffi cult to un- The secretary of the Inter- derstand the Europe today national Auschwitz Coun- without a thorough knowl- cil Marek Zając believes edge of Auschwitz history. that the record number of It is also diffi cult to under- visitors gives us a power- stand our own contempo- ful hope. “It is the hope rary responsibility, if we that the tragedy of the con- do not listen to the tragedy centration and extermina- of the Holocaust and pris- tion camps will continue oners of the concentration to force us to ask the fun- camp. That is why I do ap- damental questions, that it preciate the increase of the will shape the attitude of number of young visitors. resistance against evil and The future of our world is the need to be good in next in their hands”—said the generations”—he said.

The list of top ten countries from which visitors come Visitors has not changed much. at Auschwitz “We must certainly notice Memorial in 2009 the increase of the number by country of visitors from Poland— compared to 2008 it is over Poland 553 000 140 thousand more. There were also more visitors 75 000

from (18 thousand Sawicki ł Italy 63 900 more), Italy (20 thousand Israel 62 400 more) as well as from France, and our

Germany 57 900 southern neighbors from Photo: Pawe Visitors at the Auschwitz Memorial France 48 300 the Czech Republic and Slo- vakia”—said Andrzej Ka- Czech Republic 43 500 corzyk, the head of the Visi- by guided groups worked because of the protection of would not understand Slovakia 42 900 tors Services Section. really well. We will proba- authentic site of the former this symbol of the atroci- bly act similarly in the peak camp, but also because of ties of the 20th century. It Norway 40 300 “The statistics from non- months of 2010, since such a the safety of our visitors”— is worth remembering that USA 39 800 European countries are also system means greater com- said director Cywiński. the most visited museum interesting. Probably due to fort for visitors. However, in Poland is also a world South Korea 35 400 the economic crisis and the we must be aware that if the “We should be grateful to leading exemplary institu- Sweden 27 100 depreciation of the dollar, attendance would increase all the people who take care tion in terms of education we had less visitors from Spain 26 700 in the future by i.e. half a of the Memorial. Without activities and preserva- the American continent, but million people, we will have the daily involvement of the tion”—said Marek Zając. 18 200 there is a constant growth of to introduce a completely Museum staff, so many peo- the number of visitors from Paweł Sawicki Australia 13 500 new system. It’s not just ple from around the world Asia. In 2009 the Auschwitz Netherlands 11 700 Memorial was visited by 35 Ireland 11 000 thousand people from South Korea, 8 thousand from Number of visitors at the Auschwitz Memorial (2000-2009) Belgium 10 000 Japan, 5.6 thousand from Japan 8200 China and 4.8 thousand from Singapore”—added 1 300 000 Danemark 6600 Andrzej Kacorzyk. 1 200 000 Canada 6600 Due to the huge interest in 1 100 000 China 5600 the summer months the or- 1 000 000 Singapore 4800 ganization of the visits at the Memorial was changed 900 000 Austria 4400 temporarily at the former 800 000 Slovenia 4000 Auschwitz I camp, where 700 000 the main exhibition is locat- Finland 3700 ed. During the peak hours 600 000 Greece 3700 only groups with a guide 500 000 Croatia 3400 could enter the site—in- cluding the groups made 400 000 Romania 3100 up of individual visitors. 300 000 Portugal 3000 200 000 “The solution that in certain Other countries 66 100 hours the site of Auschwitz 100 000 492 500 541 800 578 700 699 700 000 927 500 989 1 220 000 1 130 000 1 303 800 Together 1 303 800 I camp could be visited only 0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

JANUARY 1945

his year is the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the former Nazi German Concentration and Death Camp Auschiwtz-Birkenau. Usually, we focus on the liberation itself and the date 27 January. We will examine what TJanuary of 1945 was like, based on the Auschwitz Chronicle, authored by Danuta Czech. 5 January 1945 to the railroad siding, from (Friday) where it was transported to the Gross-Rosen concentra- In block 11 in Auschwitz, the tion camp. The prisoners last police bored holes in the sides of the court (Standgericht) hearing crematorium and gas cham- was held. Around 70 Poles ber buildings. They were were sentenced to death— meant to be later fi lled with men and women. They were dynamite. shot the next day in cremato- rium V in Birkenau. The head offi ce that kept records of the prisoner 7 January 1945 population within the camp (Saturday) (Standesamt II) received orders to pack up prisoner In the Auschwitz women’s documents (death books and camp, four Jewish women prisoner fi les) and load them were hanged: Ella Gartner, into a vehicle. The SS men Roza Robota, Regina Safi r supervised the female pris- and Ester Wajsblum. They oners that were made to do Photo: Collections Department were sentenced to death for this job. Death march in the work by Zbigniew Otfinowski helping prisoners—meme- bers of the Sonderkomman- 17 January 1945 18 January 1945 Abbruchkommando, along In every offi ce documents do who worked in the Birk- (Wednesday) (Thursday) with 30 Sonderkommando and camp books were being enau crematoria—to make prisoners, who were left in destroyed and burned. the 7 October uprising possi- 31,894 male and female pris- In the early morning, the crematorium V without SS su- ble. The help consisted in de- oners of Auschwitz-Birkenau evacuation of prisoners from pervision and secretly joined 19 January 1945 livering to the Sonderkom- stood in their respective the women’s camp in Birk- the evacuation column—fear- (Friday) mando stolen explosives and camps for the last evening enau began. In short intervals ing they would be murdered ammunition from the Union- roll call. and accompanied by SS men, in the camp. The evacuation In the morning, at Auschwitz Werke warehouses, in which columns of 500 women with route led through the fol- I, II, III the only prisoners that three of the women hanged Due to Richard Baer’s, Ausch- children were led out of the lowing towns and villages: remained were those who worked. This was the last witz SS garrison and camp camps. 5345 female prisoners Oświęcim, Rajsko, Brzeszcze, were unfi t to evacuate the execution at the Auschwitz commandant’s, decision left the camp that day. Góra, Miedźna, Ćwiklice, camp and a few dozen who camp. the evacuation, he ordered Pszczyna, Kobielnice, Kryry, stayed behind to help the sick personally chosen by him Around 800 prisoners were Suszec, Rudziczka, Kleszczów, prisoners. 15 January 1945 members of the camp staff to taken from the sub-camp Jani- Żory, Rogoźne, Rój, , (Monday) start evacuating prisoners in nagrube and rushed on foot to Świerklany Dolne, Marklo- Allied air forces once again columns—mercilessly liqui- the Gross-Rosen concentration wice to Wodzisław Śląski. bombed the IG Farben Indus- The number of prisoners at dating those prisoners who camp. Only 200 extremely ex- trie plant. Auschwitz-Birkenau was tried to escape during the hausted prisoners reached the In the evening all the prisoners 15,325 males and 16,421 fe- evacuation and those who destination. of the Monowitz concentration The sub-camps of Gleiwitz III, males. The SS garrison con- tried to stay behind. camp (Buna) were gathered at Gleiwitz IV, Hubertushütte, sisted of 2,474 men, as well Every so often, a column of the roll call square. Thousand Hindenburg, Charlottegrube, as of 56 women. The sub-camps of Sosnowitz prisoners left the Birkenau person columns were formed, Althammer, Neustadt and and Neu-Dachs were evacu- camp. In the afternoon, the to each a nurses unit was at- Fürstengrube were evacuated. Work unit 104B (Abbruch- ated. last column left, consisting of tached. Their path led through kommando Krematorium), Camp doctor, about 1,500 people. The col- Bieruń, Mikołów, Mokre The entered Ja- working on dismantling dismantled his laboratory in umn consisted of prisoners Śląskie, and Przyszowice to worzno, bringing freedom the crematorium equipment, camp BIIf, taking with him from the penalty company Gliwice. to around 400 prisoners who consisted of 70 - the materials he gathered (Strafkompanie), consisting of were left behind in the Neu- ers, former members of the from his experiments on around 400 prisoners including The sub-camps of Gleiwitz II, Dachs sub-camp, being that Sonderkommando. The dis- twins, dwarves, and disa- young prisoners and 70 pris- Tschechowitz, Golleschau they were unfi t to be evacu- mantled equipment was taken bled individuals. oners from the crematorium were evacuated. ated on foot. Photo: Archive Photo: Archive A transport of evacuees from Auschwitz, January 24, 1945 Werehouses in Birkenau on fi re

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum

In the morning, a unit of Otmuchów, Ząbkowice 22 January 1945 the SS entered Birkenau’s Śląskie, Świdnica, and (Monday) BIIf camp hospital and took Strzegom to the Gross- away those prisoners fi t for Rosen concentration camp, In the morning, a unit of the labor. The work they were where the prisoners arrived SD once again came to camp given was to carry corpses, on 2 February 1945. During BIIf in Birkenau to arrest which had not been dealt the march, the SS murdered Andreyev, who was sleeping, with for a week, to the area around 800 prisoners. and 5 other Soviet POWs ac- around crematorium V. cused of fi ring guns. After There, the bodies were piled Auschwitz main camp leading them behind barrack in pyres that the SS men set prisoners came to the Birk- number 14, they were ar- alight. enau camp with news that ranged in front of a ditch full at their camp the SS ware- of water and executed. 20 January 1945 houses contained so much Photo: Archive (Saturday) food, that it could possibly 23 January 1945 A fi lm frame from the liberation chronicle last several months. Im- (Tuesday) The commander of Offi ce mediately, a group of pris- Libiąż was liberated. In the camp. A half hour later, the WI (Deutsche Erd- und oners was organized who, Prisoners of the sub-camp sub-camp Janinagrube there entire unit arrived and hand- Steinwerke GmbH-DEST) in with carts, made their way Laurahütte were evacuated; were around 60 prisoners, ed out the bread that they had Oranienburg informed the to the said warehouses, they were loaded into train who were left behind during to the sick. The unit promised commander of the group of from where they brought cars that were waiting on the the evacuation due to the ter- to send army doctors to the W offi ces in the SS-WVHA two slaughtered pigs, tins rail platform near the metal rible state of their health. The sub-camp. The same day, that due to war associated of meat, condensed milk, foundry. As the train traveled Poles who lived in the vicin- a military doctor, whose rank events the Auschwitz camp macaroni, and other food through Silesia, it stopped in ity of the camp were the fi rst was captain, arrived in Mono- had been evacuated on 18 stuffs. So much food was a forest near the Rzędówka to offer help to the prisoners. wice and started to organize January 1945. brought, that it could last train station. There, lay the The gravely ill were taken to relief. All together, out of the for one month for both the corpses of prisoners in the hospitals and those in better 850 sick left behind during Nervous units of SS were male and female camps. Be- striped camp uniforms. On or- health were left at the sub- the evacuation from the sub- wandering around the Birk- cause of this, a kitchen was ders of the escorts, the prison- camp, where they slowly re- camp, over 200 prisoners died enau camp. In the morning, organized in Birkenau. ers had to remove the striped turned to good health. on 27 January. one of the units entered the uniforms from the corpses, as BIIe women’s camp and or- The evacuation of the Golle- well as gather up the camp At 14:00 a unit of SD arrived In the afternoon, Soviet sol- dered the prisoners to make schau camp was completed. soup bowls that were thrown at the women’s camp BIIe, as diers headed toward the the SS men dinner, giving The last group of 96 sick about. The corpses were most well as the men’s camp BIIf region of the Auschwitz them fresh poultry and a and exhausted prisoners, likely those of prisoners from in Birkenau, and ordered all Stammlager and Birkenau pig. They didn’t eat the din- as well as four prisoners’ the Güntergrube sub-camp, Jews to come out of the bar- camp; the fi rst of them en- ner, however, because they corpses who died during who were murdered while racks. In camp BIIf, Kapo countered resistance put up received orders to quickly the evacuation, were sent they were being transported Schulz, identifi ed and forced by retreating German units. march and escape. After they in sealed freight cars to the the same route the previous Jews out of the barracks. The In the direct fi ghting to liber- had left, some of the healthi- sub-camp Freudenthal in day. The evacuation transport Jews were taken outside the ate the camps of Monowitz, er male and female prisoners Czechoslovakia. 29 January, continued through Katowice, camp gates, around 150 males Auschwitz-Birkenau, town of pried open the gate to camp the train station manager in Moravska Ostrava, and Vi- and 200 females. Several Jews Oświęcim and its surround- BIIe and entered the camp Zwittau informed the di- enna to the Mathausen con- were taken behind the Block- ings, all together 231 Soviet manager’s offi ce (Blockführ- of Oscar Schindler’s centration camp. The journey führerstube barrack and shot. soldiers lost their lives—two of erstube) and started to ran- ammunitions factory in lasted fi ve days and nights, those were killed just outside sack the interior. Suddenly, Brüssen-Brünnlitz, a sub- during which 134 prisoners Another SD unit entered the the Auschwitz Stammlager they noticed an approaching camp of the Gross-Rosen lost their lives. Auschwitz Stammlager. All gate. One of them was Second SS unit, so they returned to concentration camps, that sick prionsers were told to Lieutenant Gilmudin Bad- the camp. at the train station in Zwit- 1,200 prisoners were taken leave the blocks and come ryevich Bashirov. tau there was a freight car from the Eintrachthütte sub- near the gate with the sign 21 January 1945 containing Jewish pris- camp. “Arbeit macht frei”. German At 3:00 in the afternoon, the (Sunday) oners. Schindler ordered citizens were told to stand fi rst groups of Soviet recon- the freight car to Brüssen- In the afternoon, an SS unit in the front, behind them the naissance troops entered The evacuation of the Blech- Brünnlitz. Because the hing- arrived at the BIIf camp in- rest of the non-Jews, and fi - the camps in Brzezinka and hammer sub-camp started. es and locks on the wagon fi rmary in Birkenau, and or- nally the Jews. The Jewish Oświęcim, where the liber- For the road, each prisoner were frozen, it was opened dered prisoners to bring the and non-Jewish prisoners ated prisoners joyfully greet- received 800 grams of bread, using a piece of equipment bodies of the Soviet POWs who could not walk were ed them. After removing the a portion of margarine and called “Autogen”. Half of shot by crematorium V. The left aside, separately. While mines from the surround- artifi cial honey. Around the prisoners were found bodies were piled on a pyre. the prisoners were being di- ing area, soldiers of the 60th 4,000 prisoners from Blech- dead in different positions, That evening, the SS men vided into groups, a vehicle Army of the First Ukrainian hammer, as well as from sitting, kneeling, from, and set the pyre, containing the full of SS men arrived. After Front, brought freedom to other Auschwitz sub-camps standing, either frozen or POWs and prisoners, ablaze. exchanging a few words, the the prisoners still clinging to left the camp. Their march starved to death. Several Next, they set fi re to the 30 leader of the SD unit ordered life. At the main camp lay 48 led though: Koźle, Prud- dozen died after spending a warehouse buildings in the the prisoners back to their and in Birkenau 600 bodies nik, Głuchołazy, Nysa, few days in the camp. Effektenlager. Prisoners in blocks. The SD unit hurriedly of male and female prisoners, camp BIIf formed a team of drove away, along with the who were either shot by the healthy prisoners whose job SS men. SS or died in the last days of was to make sure that the the camps existence. wind didn’t spread the fi re 26 January 1945 to the camp infi rmary, sepa- (Friday) The moment Red Army sol- rated from the Effektenlager diers entered Auschwitz I, II, by a few dozen meters. At 1:00 at night, a unit of SS and III there were over 7,000 whose job was to destroy sick and exhausted prisoners 25 January 1945 criminal evidence blew up in these camps. According to (Thursday) crematorium number V in fi ndings by Dr. Otto Wolken, Birkenau, which was the last who stayed at the camp as a SS-Gruppenführer Richard one left standing. doctor and was one of the fi rst Glücks, head of offi ce D in organizers of help for prison- the SS-WVHA received the 27 January 1945 ers and was one of the fi rst to medal “Deutsches Kreuz in (Saturday) safeguard evidence that docu- Silber” for organizing war mented the crimes committed defenses by managing 40,000 Saturday, at around 9:00 in by the SS at Auschwitz-Birk- SS men, who guarded 15 the morning, the fi rst Soviet enau, there were: 1,200 sick large concentration camps soldier from the reconnais- prisoners in Auschwitz, 5,800 and over 500 sub-camps that sance unit of the 100th Infan- in Birkenau, of which 4,000

Photo: Archive in total held around 750,000 try Division appeared at the were women, and 600 sick Over 200 children were liberated at Auschwitz prisoners. hospital in the Monowitz sub- and ill in Monwitz.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 International Youth Meeting Center Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

EUROPEAN CONVERSATIONS WITH WOLFGANG TEMPLIN

n December 4, the International Youth Meeting Center in co-operation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation Oin Poland and the House for Polish-German Co-Opera- tion invited German dissident, Wolfgang Templin. The meet- ing, entitled 1989. Fall of the Iron Curtain. without the Wall. Europe without walls? took place as part of the series of European Conversations at the IYMC.

Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Lively discussion, in which in Hungary that had been the Polish-German audience striving for years. He empha- participated, complimented sized that“ everything start- the important topics raised ed in Gdańsk, and the role by Wolfgang Templin. The of Solidarity in the process of special character of this meet- democratic change in Europe ing was the consequence cannot be overemphasized.” of the array of participants: a group of police offi cers omiej Senkowski

ł Another part of the discus- from Düsseldorf, a group of sion were the repercussions young people from Rostock, in Europe tied to the events the citizens of Oświęcim and of 9 October 1989. Emphasis the surrounding county, as Photo: Bart was placed on the paradox well as volunteers and em- Wolfgang Templin was born that the fall of the Wall was ployees of the IYMC. in 1948 in Jena (in former accompanied by tension and East Germany). He studied, a rift in German-German re- The European Conversations at among other things, philoso- lations, which had an impact the IYMC are a series of meet- omiej Senkowski phy. In the 1970s he was a on, among others, the differ- ings that have taken place a ł young communist activist ing economic situations and number of years, to which and secret collaborator with disputes about the poltitics the IYMC invites well known the Stasi (1970-1974). At the of history, as well as in the personalities and authorities Photo: Bart Wolfgang Templin beginning of the 1980s, he context of the vetting and ac- from the world of culture, left the party and became in- countability for the period of politics, and social life. Dur- Ishiguro, Professor Reinhold nalist, (of works Pas- volved in the human rights communist dictatorship. ing the discussions, current Würth, art expert and phi- senger and Holiday on the movement in East Germany. issues are discussed along lanthropist, Professor Józef Adriatic), author of radio He co-founded the opposi- An interesting issue was the with their problems and Szajna - former prisoners programs and reports. The tion group “Initiative for double entanglement of East threats, as well as opportuni- of the concentration camps organization of European Peace and Human Rights Germans: both in the Nation- ties and hopes. Participants of Auschwitz and Buchenwald, Conversations at the IYMC (Initiative Frieden und Men- al-Socialist past (40 years of European Conversations have painter, screenwriter, direc- has been supported from its schenrechte). East German historical lies and silence), as so far been: Prime Minister tor, and playwright, as well beginning by the Town and authorities forced him to well as in active participation Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Hans as Zofi a Posmysz—prisoner County of Oświęcim. move to . Af- in the structures of the police Koschnick, British writer of Auschwitz, Ravensbrück, ter the changes in 1989, he re- state. or Japanese descent Kazuo and Neustadt-Glewe, jour- Leszek Szuster turned to his roots and took part in the group “Alliance 90” (Bündnis 90). To this day, he works on shedding light on the history of Easter Germany. He does so as a re- searcher and in co-operation with the Federal Commis- sioner for the Stasi Archives (BStU). On the 6 November 2009, this opponent of the East German regime re- ceived the Dialogue Prize.

While leading talks with his German guest, Leszek Szuster, introduced Wolf- gang Templin’s biography, and highlighted how little is known of the opposition against East Germany in the consciousness of Poles, as well as the real need to “debunk” the stereotypes of Polish-East German re- lations. During the meet- ing, there was a discussion, among other things, about the change in the mentality omiej Senkowski of Germans following the ł fall of the Berlin Wall. Tem- plin said that the symbolism of this event was crowned by Photo: Bart the democratic opposition in Openning the meeting

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 International Youth Meeting Center

TWO PEOPLE, ONE PHOTOGRAPH THE POLISH-GERMAN PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT

n November 23 we welcomed yet another group of seminar participants at the doors of the IYMC. To- gether with a group of German youth from Zedenik, near Berlin, and young Poles from Siemiatycze, we Ostarted a seven-day project entitled: Two People, One Photograph. This third artistic project were observing, document- is a meeting with a former has been done in co-opera- ing gestures with the cam- Auschwitz prisoner. Invited tion with the Model—Art— era and, creating portrait to speak this time was Wil- Space—Remembrance Project. photos. The title Two People, helm Brasse, who worked This time, photography One Photograph is the short in the camp records depart- was to play the biggest role: explanation of the project’s ment as a photographer and the taking of photos was to concept. The Polish-German took pictures when ordered make it possible for young pairs received one cam- by the SS to do so. The people to personally come era and worked together young people were moved in contact with history, con- throughout the entire work- by the fact about how the front it on the site of the shop from searching for concentration camp experi- former Auschwitz-Birkenau themes, choosing pictures, ence and the work he did camp and to learn to cope to the form of presentation there had an impact on the with the learned facts. of their work. Each pair, in postwar life of Wilhelm the end, created their own Brasse, who never returned Brigit Kammerlohr, artist work. As a result, the ex- to his passion—photogra- from Berlin, taught the par- hibition was created in the phy. ticipants the secrets of pho- photomontage style and the tographic techniques and pictures were cut out for Much of what we know led the workshop in such newly created dioramas. about concentration camps a way that the young peo- The photos in the dioramas comes from historical pho- ple could fi nd within them- tell us about boys and girls, tographs. That’s why we selves both the artist and Poles and Germans, about also decided to take a look photojournalist. During the their contact with and un- at the documentary photo- project, photographing was derstanding of history, as graphs, which are found in to become a passion for each well as their meeting here. the collection of the Ausch- of the participants. witz-Birkenau State Mu- During projects: either the seum Archive. During the The photography was to ful- photography or earlier workshop, the young partic- fi ll many functions during ones—such as the writing ipants were confronted with the several-day program: workshop, the September the question of the link be- the camera functioned as a one about artistic freedom tween the photograph and tool for getting to know and that included young peo- the object, the moment, and discovering the authentic ple taking part in theatrical situation that has been cap- site, while at the same time work—art is never the only tured. The participants tried searching for and fi nding, goal but only a pretext to to categorically present cop- in the context of this place, get to know history, meet ies of the historical photos another person. The fi n- other young people, and get from the perspective of why that I want to remember about the pictures together to my lik- ished photos showed the to know their differing per- they were taken, as well Auschwitz and remember those ing, trying to create some kind experience and emotions spectives on history. Once as who was photographed who lost their lives here. I was of a story and at the same time of the participants. At the again this type of work has and who the photographers able to take photographs of ob- show my feelings at the given same time, the integrating proven itself to be an effec- were. Next, participants re- jects, people, those that were time. aspect of the meeting of tive educational help. ceived information in the important to me, and then put Teresa Miłoń-Czepiec young Poles and Germans form of documents, prisoner was not irrelevant. The Artistic work cannot be a testimony, as well as histori- photography was excel- substitute for real historical cal research that gave them lent at playing the role of a knowledge, so the program more information about the middleman, communicator also includes a tour of the topic of a group of related between the participants, Museum. An especially im- photographs. who while photographing portant part of the program The participants, prepared in this manner, could visit the terrain of the former concentration camp and look at the pictures famil- iar to them from the exhibit from a different perspec- tive. At the same time, they were equipped with single use cameras: they could photograph the objects, which were the backdrop to their personal experi- ences and emotions. One of the participants following the seminar wrote: Creating a collage of photographs, I had taken myself, helped me show that, which was so terrifying in the camp. Simultaneously, I could show my sorrow and

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

AUSCHWITZ AND THE HOLOCAUST FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF WOMEN

he history of women in concentration and death camps has so far been collected and studied in a fragmentary way. Women and men in the camps found themselves in the same living conditions, however the level of Tterror that existed there differed for the various prisoner catagories, and the prisoners’ sex also determined how it was experienced.

The seminar Auschwitz and differences, we analyzed the Holocaust from the Perspec- what shapes our identity tive of Women, which took and what role “gender” place 21-29 November 2009, plays in it. was organized by the IYMC for the fi fth time. This year, “Gender” refers to the so- 23 students from Poland cially shaped roles of women and Germany were invited and men, which are assigned to work together during the according to sex. In Polish, seminar. The topic of the the word “gender” is often seminar was connected to explained as the identity research, which is opening of the sex. The role of the new and wider perspec- sexes depends on the exist- tives in how women’s fate ing socio-economical, po- is viewed with the backdrop litical, and cultural context. of the history of National So- Other factors also have an cialism and the Holocaust. infl uence on it, for example, Here, two questions can be social class, sexual orienta- refl ected upon—the ques- tion, and age. Sexual roles tion about the role of women are ingrained and can differ and their involvement in the greatly between cultures, as apparatus of the Nazi regime well as within a single cul- and about the meaning of ture. Sexual roles are malle- their presence in the struc- able, however biological sex ture of concentration and cannot change. death camps. Sawicki In the Polish-German groups ł During the seminar, partici- we discussed our experienc- pants analized the topic both es so far connected with the

from the perspective of the topics of National Socialism Photo: Pawe female perpetrators, as well and the Holocaust, with em- Zofi a Posmysz, former prisoner of Auschwitz as victims of National So- phasis on the differences in cialism. They also had the family narratives, historiog- to what degree, the category extraordinary experience to raphy, and pubic debates in of “gender” play a role in the speak to a witness of histori- Poland and Germany. These defi nition of perpetrator and cal events, Zofi a Posmysz, activities allowed us to build responsibility for National former prisoner of Ausch- between ourselves an at- Socialist crimes? Is includ- Zofi a Posmysz (born in 1923 in Cracow) is an author witz, Ravensbrück, and mosphere of mutual trust ing the category of “gender” of four books about Auschwitz: Pasażerka (1962), Neustadt-Glewe, who after and understanding, which justifi ed in research on Na- the war became a respected led to more intense work on tionalism Socialism and the Wakacje nad Adriatykiem (1970), Ten sam doktor M. writer and radio journalist. the topics during the entire Holocaust? (1982) and Do wolności, do śmierci, do życia (1996). week of the seminar. Be- A long time passed before Zofi a Posmysz decided to The seminar started with fore lectures, presentations, We started the analysis from write her fi rst novel about the camp. After the time friendship building and in- tours, fi lm viewings, analy- the perspective of female spend in camps—from Auschwitz she was evacuated tegration activities for the sis of archival documents, perpetrators. The fi rst lecture to Ravensbrück, and then to Neustadt-Glewe—she Polish-German group: get- and meetings with wit- was given by a political sci- tried to make up for the lost time and complete her ting to know each other in nesses to history, we asked entist from the University of education. When the war broke out Zofi a Posmysz was the context of one’s biogra- ourselves: what role did the Leipzig, Dr. Elisabeth Kohal- a student of high-school of commerce. The arrest and phy, similarities and differ- category of “gender” play hass, who shed light on the imprisonment (fi rst at Montelupich prison in Cracow, ences between us consider- in the racial assumptions of place women held in Ger- and then concentration camps) interrupted her illegal ing social and background National Socialism? Did, and man society during National education. As she could not fi nd work in Cracow after Socialism and with particu- the war, she moved to . She graduated in 1946 lar emphasis on motivations, and later received her diploma of Polish Philology at tasks, and responsibilities of Warsaw University. She started work at the literary women in the structure of the section of Polish Radio. She has worked on numerous NS regime and in the Gestapo. radio plays and features that later became a starting Participants of the seminar point of interesting extended pieces of literature. Theme were next acquainted with of the camp fi rst appeared in a radio play Pasażerka the biography of selected SS which later, after many changes, was published as female overseers, and their a book in 1962. role and duties in the Ausch- witz concentration camp structure. Halina Jastrzębska concentration camp, lectures witness to events, Zofi a Pos- from the State Museum on forced prostitution in the mysz. Auschwitz-Birkenau did a Third Reich, among others, presentation on this topic. and individual work with With great interest, partici- The victims’ perspective archival documents showing pants listened to Joanna Os- opened with the showing of women’s participation in the trowska’s lecture, a PhD from the extremely realistic fi lm camps and in the resistance Jewish entitled The Last Stage, made movement near them, deep- Studies department in Cra- in 1947 by a former pris- ened the knowledge of the cow, on the subject of: Prostitu- oner Wanda Jakubowska. participants and prepared tion as forced labor for women in

Photo: IYMC A study tour of the former them for a meeting with a .

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

FRAGMENT OF DR. ELISABETH KOHLHAAS’ LECTURE

(…) If we want to measure the willingness to leave factory was established in Elsass. had belonged to Jews and position, and work relieving degree of women’s participa- and offi ce jobs to further In this school, following the Poles, they supported and them of responsibility. For tion in the National Socialist their professional careers (…). guidelines, specifi cally cho- educated them in the spirit most of these women, they regime and their contribution These activities, outside the sen women were prepared to of National Socialism, organ- work they did in the service to the politics of repression home, shaped women’s role work in the professional and ized preschools, and taught of the Gestapo were not du- and racial policy, we must in the system (…). private sphere within the so- in schools. It is impossible to ties that were performed in look through the magnifying called Sippengemeinshaft SS determine the exact number extraordinary circumstances. glass at their activities in the Today, we know that during , the leader of these women. This would have been the public realm: especially their National Socialism women of the SS, wanted to form a fe- norm for them; normal work professional activities and were active subjects, respon- male SS unit that was unques- Finally, recent research on that gurenteed a good salary those relating to the mobiliza- sible and active in a wide and tioning, loyal, and brimming the topic of so-called female and a stable job in the secu- tion for war (those German varying spectrum. That is, with the ideals and spirit of Wermacht helpers (Wehr- rity services, was attractive women, who did not suffer in the spectrum, which was National Socialism. machthelferinnen) should be work. The women working repression and functioned as far wider than the sphere of mentioned. This was a large in the Gestapo were not the “Aryan” women in that so- marriage and motherhood as- The female SS unit was to be a group, we can assume, that deciding actors in the work- ciety. [Volksgemeinschaft − signed to women. In almost sort of convent within the Sip- it consisted of around 500,000 ings of the organization. They note E. P.]) every place where repression pengemeinschaft SS—in total, women functioning as typ- took part in the functioning and murder took place wom- around 3,000 so-called female ists, telephone operators, te- of the police apprentice from Research on the history of en were present. SS helpers. Recently, there legraphers, and supported a lower level. They had a se- women on this topic took off have also been discussions— the Wehrmacht during the cure place in this organiza- at the beginning of the 1990s. The focus of research in recent taking into account the per- war in all of Europe. These tion, which could not have Earlier, that is in the 1980s, years is the issue of women spective of “gender”—about women are considered to functioned without them. research into women’s his- and the SS, especially those women who took part in the have taken an active and indi- They also made decisions in tory caused an eruption of a who worked as SS female German occupation in East- rect part in the war. Recently, the position of subordinates so-called “female historian’s overseers in concentration ern Europe. Elisabeth Har- an interesting text was found about the spheres of activities dispute”. This had to do with and extermination camps, vey’s work should be noted describing the work of these and the possibilities of deci- the morally based question: primarily in the women’s here on the subject of the so- women, as the phenomenon sions made. Did women play an active concentration camp in Raven- called people’s political serv- of “the expansion of wom- The participation of women role during National Social- sbrück. The Waffen SS em- ice (“volkstumpolitischer Ein- en’s help”. This shows that in the National Socialist sys- ism and can they share the ployed these women. They satz”) performed by young women’s contribution to the tem was different than that of responsibility for National were not members of the German women fascinated Nazi regime, the Holocaust men. They took on different Socialist crimes? The assump- SS, which is why we mainly by the ideology. Harvey’s re- and the war remained in the activities, women worked as tion was contrary to that call them SS female overse- search is entitled Women and classically feminine sphere of subordinates in the hierarchy women should be seen fi rst ers (SS Aufseherinnen). The the Nazi East. Agents and Wit- assistance, but the defi nition and their work was character- of all as victims of extremely research has lead to the crea- nesses of Germanization. of that assistance in terms of ized by less physical violence. patriarchal and oppressive tion of a new and permanent National Socialism strongly These contributions consisted system. exhibition on the subject of These girls and young wom- changed, taking on a patho- not only of bureaucratic ac- these women’s service at the en worked in preschools, as logical form. tivities. These conclusions At the start of the 1990s the Ravenbrück Memorial Site. teachers, advisers in villages lead us to consider women’s perspective on the history In total we are talking about that were in the territories Another interesting group clearly shared role as per- of women changed about around 4,000 SS female over- incorporated into the Third worthy of attention are wom- petrators. In the case of men how they are seen during the seers. The newest research Reich and the occupied Polish en employed by the Gestapo. and women operating in the times of National Socialism. also describes the so-called fe- territories, where the goal This group of women con- Nazi dictatorship, includ- Historian Gisela Bock put male SS helpers (SS Helferin- was the practical implemen- tributed to persecution and ing those women working in this changed perspective this nen) and wives of SS men. Re- tation of the policy of Ger- Nazi racial policy by doing the Gestapo, the statement way: It is apparent… that in search is currently available manization. They belonged to seemingly trivial profes- by Hanna Arendt is justify- most cases, the active partici- about a group of specially the League of German Girls sional work. These women able: In the Third Reich, there pation of women in National ideologically trained women: (BDM) and National Socialist were clerks in offi ces and in were not many people who Socialist racial politics was in the spring of 1942, a female Women’s League (NS Frau- the administration. It would whole heartedly supported part of their activities outside SS group was formed, the so- enschaft), or they did service be a mistake to treat women the later crimes of the regime, the home: their leading role called female SS helpers corps in the east as students. They working in the services of the however, there existed a huge in women’s and girl’s organi- (SS Helferinnenkorps). To helped the so-called Volks- Gestapo only as cogs in the number of those who were zations, their better or worse achieve this goal, a training deutsche take residence in machine. At the same time, absolutely ready to support professional activity, or their center for female SS liaisons the “cleansed” homes that we would trivialize their role, the regime. (…)

The seminar ended with a trail of Cracow’s Polish and IYMC, participants started thanks to the fi nancial sup- The seminar was made possible trip to Cracow, where rep- Jewish emancipated women. to prepare a Polish-German port of the Polish-German through the fi nancial support resentatives of the Women’s Following the end to the in- publication, which will ap- Co-operation Foundation. of Polish-German Youth Space Foundation led us on a tensive seminar work at the pear in September of 2010, Ela Pasternak Co-operation. Photo: IYMC Photo: IYMC

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Jewish Center Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

THE HOLOCAUST THROUGH THE EYES OF YOUNG PEOPLE—A DIFFERENT PERCEPTION, BUT THE SAME MESSAGE

PART 2. OPINIONS OF FOREIGN VOLUNTEERS ABOUT THE REMEMBRANCE OF AND AUSTRIA

uring the recent commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the beginning of the Second World War we noticed how differently those events are viewed in different European countries. This inspired me Dto discuss this with seven volunteers representing four European countries. I wanted to get an answer to the question of how the subject of the Holocaust, as well as other events that occurred during the World War II are seen in their countries. I was also interested in the way the general infl uenced perception in their given countries the impact of volunteering at the memorial site.

Understanding of the vari- rently work in Oświęcim the unknown. In his opin- were to approach the Ger- sistance). ous events of the past, the as volunteers—the fi rst two ion, their attitude was in- man occupiers. “After the When the Second World so-called culture of memo- in the Jewish Center and fl uenced by the views and liberation, it turned out War ended in France, there ry, depends on the extent the third at the Auschwitz- politics of far right political that all the citizens were were many trials against as well as form of public Birkenau State Museum. parties. He heard about the against the occupation and collaborators, who were exposure of the specifi c his- Jewish Center in Oświęcim were willing to fi ght,”says found guilty; among them torical event. The next most Thomas studied foreign from an acquaintance and Thomas. In his opinion the were members of the Vichy important element shaping languages, with an empha- decided immediately to building of national iden- government. Museums and the culture of memory is the sis on inter-cultural rela- devote his time to political tity in France is too concen- anniversaries commemo- way that the role of a given tions and international co- education within the Euro- trated on emphasizing the rate the heroic deeds of the society is looked at histori- operation, in his hometown pean Voluntary Service. So, merits of the brave people population active in the re- cally. This causes the rise of of Lille before he became this “newly minted” gradu- who stood up to the terror sistance movement and the a variety of national myths. a volunteer at the Jewish ate came to Oświęcim. The of World War II. Ignoring many victims of . In The culture of memory also Center. While studying he tragedy that took place in the fact that in addition to addition to the commemo- depends on evolutionary also worked as a city tour Auschwitz clearly shows “wicked collaborators,” ration on January 27 of the changes, which can in effect guide. In his work he met where racism and xeno- the majority of society was International Holocaust be a breakthrough in the many tourists from various phobia can lead—and that completely passive and in- Remembrance Day, France way history is perceived. countries and often had to is how Thomas justifi es the vested all their energies in commemorates the anni- The second part of this ar- answer many questions choice of this place. taking care of only them- versary of the deportation ticle about a nation’s cul- about the large number of selves—“just to survive.” of French Jews by the Vichy tural memory is based on foreigners in Lille. These In France, during the Sec- government. This occurs on conversations with Thomas questions, mainly from ond World War, people After losing the battles in a Sunday in mid-July, and (France), Daniel (Austria), young people, gave the didn’t really have a clear 1940, France, until the Al- recalls the victims of rac- and Sebastian (Austria). impression of hostility to idea what they were sup- lied invasion, remained ist and anti-Semitic crimes These young people cur- foreigners and the fear of posed to do and how they passive and divided. The of France. („La journée na- Vichy government was tionale à la mémoire des brought into being and victimes des crimes rac- controlled the “free” part of istes et antisémites de l’État France, while cooperating français”). Remeberance of with the German occupier. the Holocaust is on a large Under the leadership of the scale in France, which is deputy prime minister and noticeable both in art, as Marshal Philippe Pètain, well as in history lessons. who was sympathetic “What I would have pre- to Hitler, they signed a ferred to from my teachers, ceasefire on June 22, 1940 however, would have been and gave up nearly 2/3 of an explanation of how such French territory to be un- unforgettable crimes could der German occupation. have even taken place. In In 1942 they “recruited” general, how did people thousands of forced labor- such as Hitler rise so quick- ers to work for the Third ly to power in such a short Reich and helped register, amount of time and make arrest, and deport Jews the anti-Semitic policies, who lived in France (the so hostile to humanity, so deportation of French popular?” said Thomas. citizens who were of the These words can be aimed Jewish faith was moved to at history teachers in all 1943). Already in October countries. of 1940 in Vichy, there was a host of discrimatory laws Toward the end of the in- in place against French terview, Thomas stated Jews. Most French were, proudly that public lies of course, against this and about the Holocaust, as answered the call of Gen- well as racist and anti-Se- eral Charles de Gaulle, metic excesses are severely who, from London, ap- punished in France. He is, pealed for an uprising. As however, disappointed a result, from May of 1943 that ever since September various insurgent groups, 11, 2001, there has been a cooperated with the Na- rise in attacks on Jewish, as

Photo: Babsy tional Resistance Council well as Muslim institutions, Center of Remembrance in Oradour (Conseil National de Ré- and that the confl ict in the

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 Jewish Center

Middle East has escalated. a long period of time, the These incidents are used “victim myth” dominated by far-right populists, who society—that Austria was use them to lay blame on the “fi rst victim” of Nazi the Muslim minority group aggression—was fi nally and other immigrants. somewhat put into perspec- tive at the end of the 1980s. The volunteers from Austria A deciding moment turned are of the opinion that dur- out to be a major scandal, ing the Second World War, that involved presidential their society was mainly on candidate, later president, the side of the perpetrators. Kurt Walheim, who during Twenty two–year–old Dan- the Second World War was iel and nineteen–year–old an offi cer in the Wermacht Sebastian decided to vol- and took part in war crimes unteer in Oświęcim—the in the Balkans. Sebastian former at the Jewish Center and Daniel feel that since and the latter at the Ausch- the time of the scandal, re- witz-Birkenau State Mu- membrance of WWII seems seum. Both feel a historical to be more alive and far responsibility to work in reaching. these types of institutions. The Second World War, The young volunteers em- in all its horrifying detail, phasize that the culture of is not just present in their memory is properly treated grandparents’ or great- in Austria. It is signifi cant grandparents’ stories, but to note the fact that virtu- also a part of their country’s ally every student is re- political culture. quired to visit the site of the former concentration camp

The effects of the Austro- at Mauthausen. In addition, Photo: Rachel Hungarian Empire and the the International Holocaust Holocaust Memorial in Vienna “great depression” that Remembrance Day is com- swept the world caused memorated there, and for the rise in political extrem- refl ection there are also a ism in the inter-war period. number of memorials, plac- After Mussolini came to es of national remembrance, power in Italy in 1935, the exhibits and documentary country became more iso- fi lms that are available all lated from other countries, year long. The subject of the while strengthening its con- Holocaust also affects the tacts with Hitler, the infl u- alternative culture scene. ence that the Third Reich Daniel notes however, that had on the spheres govern- sometimes artists use pro- ing (Austria) grew. After vocative subjects, looking Austrian nationalists found for “cheap exposure.” themselves in key political positions, the annexation Daniel believes that in of Austria into the Third Austria, not everyone is Reich could happen with- yet prepared to face his- out a confl ict. Many Aus- tory head on. In some small trians accepted this event towns there are protests positively. In the following against building stones years, German Nazis mur- of remembrance (Stolper- dered around 65 thousand stein), which were men- citizens of Jewish descent, tioned in the last article. as well as 12.7 thousand Indeed, not everyone saw who were against the re- this act of commemorating gime and insurgents. Over the victims of Nazism as 8 thousand Roma and Sinti, necessary. Sebastian points homosexuals, and disabled out that people, especially individuals, were also not the older through their own spared. Around 100 thou- direct or indirect support sand people took part in for the SS, are reminded of the fi ght against Nazism, their guilt. He mentioned but some seem to forget that there has been a pub- that a large percentage of lic debate recently in Aus- the population worked for tria concerning the sense of the occupier. War criminals punishing of elderly and of- can also be found among ten sick war criminals. This Austrians. Even the civilian discussion was brought population took part in at- about by the case of John tacks on the Jewish minor- Demjanjuk, who was ac- ity. Many citizens quietly cused of co-operation with hoped that through nation- the Nazis. Daniel, summing al organization, but also, up, notes that in Austria be- “by their own initiative” cause of their participation they could improve their and often unspoken, public own fi nancial situation. opinion on the distinction between perpetrators and After the end of the Second victims of confl ict is divid- World War in the wave of ed. As opposed to Austria, denazifi cation, over 200 other European countries high-ranking SS function- can feel that they were vic- aries were put before the tims of Nazism to a greater court and removed from degree. government functions. For Julia Preidel

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Jewish Center Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

“WHERE TO, WHERE TO? WHERE TO?... STRAIGHT AHEAD.” IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT WAS LEFT OF IN US THE WARDROBE

here are many items that, to us, can symbolize the Holocaust. Such a symbol may be an empty suitcase, a yellow patch in the shape of the Star of David, or the recently stolen (and luckily found) sign “Arbeit macht Tfrei”. We will fi nd more of these symbols. Ana Nowicka and Monika Kufel: director and actor, respectively, of the monodrama that was put on for Oświęcim residents December 9, 2009, at the Jewish Center shows that the symbol can also be a simple Wardrobe.

award at the International altar (anyone who has even the play, however, politely Festival “European Actor” once been in the church of notes that he can stay for in Macedonia (2005), the St. Mary in Cracow and has only a short time, because Festival of Modern Drama seen the Stoss altar knows the same evening he is also in Warsaw (2005), recog- that its appearance re- invited for a poetry reading nition at the Festival of sembles a large wardrobe, and will have to leave dur- Unique Theater in Lublin whose doors, depending ing the play. “We of course (2006), and so on. However, on whether they are open understand and thank him these awards are not what or closed, depict the differ- for accepting the invita- make The Wardrobe. It is the ent situations in the life of tion,” says Ana. Jakubow- reactions of audiences that Jesus and Mary). For those icz sits towards the edge, do this better. deported to concentration so that he can quietly leave camps, it can be the cramped and not disturb anyone. The authors of The Wardrobe and well-sealed freight car. The wardrobe opens, the emphasize that for them the This image is further en- play has begun… 10 min- realness of The Wardrobe, hanced by recited fragments utes pass—he’s sitting. An- are moments when—af- of Tuwim’s Locomotive by other 10 minutes pass—he ter it is over—people ap- proach them, those who Among those who survived the war are lived through the night- mare of war and have truly those who won’t talk about the trauma found themselves in this that they experienced—they are hiding play. Monika Kufel tells of it within themselves, making sure that a situation that took place in no way will it become a part of their in Oświęcim. When The Wardrobe came to an end, children or grandchildren’s experience. a certain older gentleman approached her and said Monika Kufel, which takes still sits. The play is coming “That’s how it really was. on another meaning, when to an end—the chairman is But in my case, it was a we remember the Jewish still present. Finally, after sofa.” background of the author. the play, Ana approaches The ladder standing to one him. “You know, madame, What is hidden in the the- side becomes a railway for I couldn’t leave” said Ja- atrical wardrobe? Ana and a moment, which led these kubowicz. “Watching this, Monika say that this single locomotives of death to I felt that if I were to leave, Photo: Tomasz Kuncewicz Monika Kufel wardrobe can have very places such as Treblinka or it would have been a blas- many meanings. And it Auschwitz. In this world, phemy.” When I ask Monika Kufel hands of the Nazis outside. has—because it can be read every object is an actor who Gabriela Nieśpielak what her inspiration for The A unique play is created. It in many different (which speaks to us from the stage. Wardrobe (a play that men- can be said that it came to doesn’t mean in better or tions “who,” or actually be unique by “accident” worse) ways. Everyone has What else is the wardrobe? “what” is its main actor), she because it was supposed to his or her own key to this It can refer to being with- has a simple response. Dur- be a play created for gradu- wardrobe. The power of drawn, separating oneself, ing her second year at the ating the Wrocław theater the play is awash in sym- in an attempt to escape PWST in Wrocław, Monika school, but what came out bolism. It is a deep mine of from painful past experi- read Olga Tokarczuk’s The was a mature and profes- meanings and it is the sen- ences, which are hidden deep within us, as the win- ter jacket at the bottom of Monika Kufel tells of a situation that took place in Oświęcim. the wardrobe. Among those When The Wardrobe came to an end, a certain older gentleman who survived the war are approached her and said “That’s how it really was. those who won’t talk about But in my case, it was a sofa.” the trauma that they expe- rienced—they are hiding it within themselves, making Wardrobe. This was the fi rst sional play, that has been sitivity of the viewer and it sure that in no way will it inspiration. Then came the given several honors and depends on how much they become a part of their chil- idea to show this wardrobe has been hailed by both crit- can identify with the histo- dren or grandchildren’s ex- in the form of a thesis play. ics and audiences alike. ry presented, it depends on perience. Monika worked on the text, what hidden symbols the wrote her own screenplay The Wardrobe had its pre- viewer fi nds hidden in the Ana Nowicka—director (in cooperation with Marcin miere in Tarnów in 2004. wardrobe. of the monodrama, born Biały), and added fragments The symptoms of its unique- in Oświęcim—remembers of Tuwim’s famous Locomo- ness started to show right For someone Jewish, this the testimony of Tadeusz tive. This is how The Ward- after that. Still in that year, may refl ect the place where Jakubowicz, Chairman robe—a monodrama about a Monika Kufel received a the Torah scrolls are kept of the Jewish community Jewish girl during the Sec- special award at the 32nd in the synagogue (the same in Cracow who, during ond World War, who hides Polish Single-Actor Theater place, after all, bears the WWII, was a prisoner of

in a wardrobe, to escape Festival in Wrocław, next name “Aron ha Kodesh”), Auschwitz. The chairman Photo: Tomasz Kuncewicz the threat of death at the she received another such for a Christian it may be the receives an invitation for Monika Kufel

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 Center for Dialogue and Prayer Foundation

HALLOWED BE THY NAME —KIDDUSH HA-SHEM

dvent recollections have become a tradition with the Center of Dialogue and Prayer in co-operation with Sisters of St. Mary of Zion in Cracow. This year was no different. This is a meeting, that in accordance to its Acharismatic nature, shows God’s love for Israel. The Assembly is working mainly on the eradication of the effects of anti-Semitism and strengthening of Christian faith by exploring the Bible. For several years, the Sisters have lived in Poland, and have brought the Jewish religion to all who are interested.

This year’s topic during the because they were Jews, in retreat was Hallowed be Thy other words, those who ven- name—Christian and Jew- erate God for their presence ish prayer—the Our Father. on earth and for His faithful In Hebrew—Kiddush Ha- love for them, and through -Shem. Sisters have shown them for humankind. The in depth that the prayer Our Commandment to honor Father is rooted in Juda- “Thy God” is found in the ism and Rabbinic tradition, Torah and in the Holy Bible: quoting Siduru Kaddish, or “You shall not profane my Jewish prayer book, and fi - Holy Name, to be sanctifi ed nally the Mishnah. It shows among the sons of Israel, that Jesus was a son of the I am the Lord who sanctify Jewish nation, a faithful you” (Leviticus 22.32). Jew from Galali who stud- ied the Torah—just as every Another source for the Jewish child learns the al- commandment of Kiddush phabet, reading the Torah. Ha-Shem is the verse from When I listened to lectures Deuteronomy, from which or read fragments of Jewish begins the fi rst paragraph of prayers, for the fi rst time the Shema prayer: “Love the I understood, just how much Lord your God with all your we are… heart and with all your soul In the text of the last Way and with all your strength” of the Cross, which we take (Deuteronomy 6.5). How- part in during every recol- ever, there is also another lection, we read that the religious category connected prayer Our Father could with the sanctifi cation of have arisen in the camp. This His Name. This is the Kid- has always troubled me. In dush Ha-Shem—sanctifi - ska what sense and what frag- cation of life. It appeared ń ment would fi t “most suit- again during the Shoah, ably” in camp reality. For when Jews were threat- many people, heaven from ened with total destruction. that time is closed and they It was based on the attempts Photo: A. Bodzi cannot pray. How could this to save life, as long as it ex- Kaddish at the Jewish exibition at the Auschwitz Memorial prayer have come out of isted. Rabbis said that as this hell on earth? I would long as life exists, you must like to focus on this one as- live… Perhaps in those days title Holy Fire, believed that because of their deeds (testi- en on a new facet. It has be- pect—the sanctifi cation of Kiddush Ha-Shem consist- Kiddush Ha-Chaim has a mony) we know how to live come a way of testifying. God’s Name—Kiddush Ha- ed in saving their dignity? mystical quality. He argued aware and with dignity. So, -Shem. How Jews could do How do we again reconcile that during that time, God did they complete tikkun Sisters’ of St. Mary of Zion this, being brought by the the contradictions? Death suffered, seeing the tragedy olam? Since the Decem- in Krakow website: www.insion.pl thousands to their death in as martyrs, along with the his people had to endure ber recollections, honoring Birkenau? How could you want to save lives. and He could not come with God’s Name for me has tak- Marta Titaniec glorify God’s Name walking help, as He himself was straight from the ramp to Rabbi Shapiro from Piasec- deep in despair. Jews who the ? Kiddush zno, the author of the com- suffered and later died had Ha-Shem has now become mandments that were read to support their Creator in a synonym of martyrdom out in the , His lonely anguish. for one’s faith. They all died published later under the Thus they took part in tikkun olam—repairing world that has been taken over by evil.

Every time I pray on the Way of the Cross in Birk- enau, I stay longer at the cre- matorium by Station seven. Testimony from the camp that I have read, talked of the sound of Jews singing psalms. Witnesses state that prayers could also be heard from the cell of Father Max- imillian Kolbe. What faith these people must have had… They honored God’s Name, but before they did fot. CDiM Photo: CDP that, they honored life and Photo: CDP Way of the Cross. Crematorium II Sister Anne Denis and sister Anna on the roots of the Our Father prayer

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 History Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010

She returned to Chrzanów families. She also recruited in 1942 and took a job at the her acauaintances to mail PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL SS cafeteria in Oświęcim, parcels to the camp, ad- located in “Haus 7,” a dressed to prisoners whose building near the Ausch- names she supplied, during HELENA DATOŃ witz I-Main Camp. In the the time when this could same building, there were be done offi cially. She re- offi ces where prisoners mained active until January mother was left to raise her parents of her friend Wanda worked. The job enabled 22, 1945. three daughters, of whom Sztwiertnia, and Helena Helena to maintain direct After the end of the war, she Helena was the oldest. Af- went to live with them. Here, contact both with the pris- worked in the Social Wel- ter attending public school she came into contact for the oners working in the offi ce fare Offi ce in Chrzanów, in Chrzanów, she enrolled fi rst time with Auschwitz and with the suppliers of and also taught rhythmic in commercial school, and prisoners and the people merchandise to the cafete- gymnastics and dance at the was also a member of the who helped them, including ria. From this point on, she schools there. She married Sokół Gymnastics Society. the leader of the Polish So- served as a courier between Stanisław Szpak in 1946, She was seventeen when cialist Party (PPS) Brzeszcze the PPS Brzeszcze Group and they had a daughter, the war broke out. Fearing Group, Edward Hałoń. She and the camp. Her main Małgorzata. Helena Szpak Born into a working-class that she would otherwise be also helped in the collection duty was to relay secret retired in 1976. She lives family in Chrzanów on deported for slave labor in drives for food and medi- messages. She also helped in Chrzanów. In recogni- April 25, 1922, the daugh- Germany, she took a job in cine, and delivered parcels to prepare escapes from tion of her services, she has ter of Andrzej and Józefa 1940 at the cafeteria at the to agreed places in Budy, Auschwitz and passed on been decorated with the nee Rzeszutko. Her father Brzeszcze coal mine. The Rajsko, and Brzeszcze illegal correspondence be- Commander’s Cross of the died before the war and her cafeteria was run by the where prisoners labored. tween prisoners and their Order of Poland Reborn.

VESTIGES OF HISTORY FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF THE AUSCHWITZ MUSEUM he word “signet” comes from the diminutive of the French word “sign”—signe. A signet was once a kind of seal in the Tform of a personal coat of arms or monogram attached to a ring or engraved directly on it. Generally worn by men, it was a personal symbol of its owner. It is not surprising that there are a relatively large number of signets, created by prisoners of Ausch- witz, in the Museum’ collection. In the dehumanized world of the Photo: A-BSM Collections Department camp, it was an expression of the struggle to maintain one’s iden- A signet tity, and the desire to leave some trace of oneself behind. Prisoners made these il- oners’ feelings—patriotic, December 1942, when he on his body. On the signet doesn’t remember him. The legally from metal that religious, as well as those worked as a carpenter in next to the symbol KL Au, ring from the spoon was came from bells—camp for other people. The white the workshop. It was made a prisoner triangle, the ini- treated as a precious treas- gongs, silver coins, plas- eagle, crown of thorns, and for him by prisoners who tials “CL,” and his prisoner ure, passed through four tic, and even horsehair; hearts can be found on were metal workers from a number. concentration camps, and these signets are priceless them. silver spoon “for the good has become a SYMBOL of mementos. Monograms, carpentry-metal work co- Czesław Ludwiczak sur- his suffering, as well as his camp numbers, and names The signet, seen in the pic- operation.” He hid the ring vived, and in 1997 donated strength and determina- of concentration camps are ture, belonged to Czesław in the camp, and during the the signet to the Museum. tion. engraved on these, infor- Ludwiczak, Auschwitz pris- evacuation to other camps, He didn’t give the name mation about human fate. oner with camp number among others, Buchenwald of the creator, because as Agnieszka Sieradzka, These also show the pris- 72124. He received it in and Flossenbürg he hid it he said himself, he simply A-BSM Collections Department

FROM GANOBIS’S CABINET

he residents of Oświęcim spent their social life most often on the main square, as well as by the river Soła. From the mem- Toirs of residents, it was possible to learn that there was lots of water in the river. It was also said that sport parade; 16:00—kayak race be fi nished the following competitions took place on on the Soła; 21:00 a bonfi re week. It is worth mention- the river. Today’s memoirs near the village, wreaths on ing, that the sailing team concern kayak races, which the Soła, kayak parade and was formed less than a year took place on 29 June 1933 of those invited by organ- earlier, putting forward their in Oświęcim, not far from izers. “ work to one of the best sail- the castle. The same day In the “Ekspres Ilustrow- ing teams from the Cracow was also the Dedication and any” from 2 June, region.” The work relating

Opening of a Scouts Village, we can read: “The scouting to the building of the harbor, aw Ganobis as well as a national “Sea sailing team received land as well as the ceremony are ł Holiday.” The program of that was rented by them on described in detail in the old the ceremony was quite full. the Soła, near the confl uence Scouting Chronicle. In this

“At 10:30, by the Scouts’ Vil- with the , by the sail- picture, a kayak paddle that Photo: Miros lage near the Soła: a dedica- ing harbor being built by the was found not long ago is Kayak races tion of the kayak landing, National Department of Wa- visible. The kayak belonged done by Father J. Skarbek, terways (…) the scouts ar- to Janina Pomietlarz and preserved, like the kayak hidden away for many years speech.” A bit further, we rived immediately—to help Pola Pomietlarz (later Pola harbor by the castle; but in before it ended up in my read: “launching the kay- the sailors level the terrain, Bukietyńska). The kayak, my the attic of my familial personal collection. aks into the water and boat on which the harbor was to has unfortunately not been home the paddle had been Mirosław Ganobis

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Oś—Oświęcim, People, History, Culture magazine, no. 13, January 2010 Photographer

PHOTO REPORT

On November 29, in connection to the seventieth anniversary of the destruction of the Great Synagogue, a graffi ti workshop took place at the Ausch- witz Jewish Center in Oświęcim. It was led by Dariusz Paczkowski, the co-founder of the Never Again Association, collaborator with: the Czarodzie- jska Góra Foundation and Tibetan Program of The Other Space Foundation. Photo: Dominik Smolarek Photo: Dominik SmolarekPhoto: Dominik Smolarek Photo: Dominik Smolarek

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15