News

Birkenau, May 28 (PAP-Polish Press Agency) Benedict XVI prayed for the "grace of reconciliation" at the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, where the Nazis murdered at least 1.1 million people, most of them Jews. "I could not fail to come here," the Pope said during a ceremony attended by almost 200 prisoners of the camp.

May 29, 2006, Warsaw – "This council is international because memory, too, must be international. It must be a memory that belongs to all of us," said Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz during ceremonies marking the nomination of members of the International Auschwitz Council.

May 23, Bielsko-Biała (PAP-Polish Press Agency) – The historically original inscription reading "Arbeit macht frei" returned to its place over the main gate of the Auschwitz I-Main Camp on Tuesday morning. A copy had been in place since January. Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum head preservation officer Rafał Pióro told PAP that the original was reinstalled in time for the visit by Pope Benedict XVI.

In connection with Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the Auschwitz-Birkenau site on May 28, 2006:On May 27, 2006, visitors to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum are requested to leave the grounds before 3:00 PM, after which time the Museum will be closed to visitors. We apologize for any inconvenience.

The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim has won first prize in the Sybilla 2005 Museum Event of the Year contest. The 26th annual awards ceremony took place on May 18, International Museum Day, at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. The Ministry of Culture and National Heritage organizes the contest and undersecretary of state Tomasz Merta presented the awards.

May 17, Bielsko-Biała (PAP-Polish Press Agency) – The Auschwitz-Birkenau State museum has purchased 24 sets of music used by the Auschwitz prisoner orchestra from a Polish collector. Collections department head Igor Bartosik said on Wednesday that the items will probably be included in a future Museum exhibition.