July 6 marks the anniversary of the first escape of a prisoner from the Auschwitz German camp. He was a Pole named Tadeusz Wiejowski (prisoner number 220). In reprisal, the Nazis made the prisoners line up in a roll call assembly and kept them standing for 20 hours. A Jewish prisoner, Dawid Wongczewski, died during the roll call and became the first fatal victim of Auschwitz.
This is the first broad-scale attempt at establishng the number of civilians from within the borders of the prewar Olkusz powiat who became victims of the Nazi concentration camps and interrogation cells during World War II.
Former prisoners, officials, and school students rendered homage to the victims of Auschwitz during commemorations on Tuesday of the 65th anniversary of the first deportation transport. They laid wreaths and lit candles at the Death Wall, where the Germans shot at least several thousand people.
Friday was the 63rd anniversary of the first mass escape from Auschwitz. About 50 prisoners mutinied and made an escape bid, but only 9 reached freedom. Over 380 prisoners perished during the break and in the course of German reprisals.
The Canadian television network CTV has admitted broadcasting inaccurate and misleading information by using the terms “Polish ghetto” and “Polish camp at Treblinka.”
Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images (press@auschwitz.org).
