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83rd anniversary of the deportation of the first Poles to KL Auschwitz - National Day of Remembrance

14 June 1940 is considered the beginning of the functioning of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. On that day, the Germans deported a group of 728 Poles from the Tarnów prison to Auschwitz. The group included soldiers who had fought against the German invasion in September 1939, members of underground independence organisations, secondary school and university students, and a small number of Polish Jews. They were given numbers from 31 to 758.

The commemoration of the 83rd anniversary of this event took place under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda. By a decision of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, 14 June is observed as the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camps.

The events commemorating the anniversary at the Memorial were attended by 13 Auschwitz survivors, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture and National Heritage, Prof. Piotr Gliński, Zofia Romaszewska, who represented the President of the Republic of Poland, the president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, and representatives of state and local authorities, as well as the diplomatic corps, the clergy, organisers of the commemoration, various institutions and social organisations and all those wishing to honour the memory of the victims of the German Nazis.

Prof. Piotr Gliński began his address with a quote from Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki: “Like all the other newcomers to Auschwitz, I found myself in conditions that contradicted my preconceived notions. Within a few days, I felt dazed and as if I had been transported to another planet. The images I witnessed were more horrific than anything depicted in Dante's Inferno."

'The camp, established to exterminate Polish citizens, was soon incorporated into the German plan for the so-called "final solution to the Jewish question", i.e., the mass murder of European Jews, and became a worldwide symbol of the martyrdom of many nations. The enormity of the suffering, anguish, physical torture and harm inflicted on the human soul in the camp outstrips the ability to verbalise it - said Deputy Prime Minister Gliński.

Auschwitz Museum Director Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński, noted that today it is difficult to imagine the tragedy of that first transport, which left Tarnów not for Auschwitz but into the unknown.

'It could have been labour, another prison, or camps set up before the war on German territory, or it could have been the so-called death by firing squad. They had absolutely no idea. 729 people left, and one man escaped; he ran towards the forest, shots were fired, and to this day, we do not know if he made it. Probably the first victim of Auschwitz, even before arriving at the destination. Upon reaching Cracow, they pondered whether they were heading towards the General Government or Silesia. They learned at the platforms that Paris had just been overrun. Then, everything unfolded. They were transferred here,' said Piotr Cywinski.

'It is difficult to imagine today what those walking through the streets of Tarnów and boarding the train experienced. So far, we have seen only a few photos of the event. The Tarnów collector Marek Tomaszewski has discovered an entire album made by the Germans, which contains dozens of photographs from the first transport. The significance of this discovery is akin to the most renowned albums associated with the history of Auschwitz. Marek Tomaszewski donated digital copies of the photographs to the Archives so that they will be available to the whole world,' emphasised Director Cywiński.

You can read more about this unique collection of photographs here.

The national anthem was played in front of Block 11. At the Death Wall in the courtyard of Block 11, participants laid wreaths and candles in memory of all the Auschwitz Nazi German concentration and extermination camp victims.

The anniversary commemoration were followed by the ceremonial opening of the new Museum Visitor Service Centre, which was built near the Auschwitz I site.

'Today, as we present the state-of-the-art new Visitor Services Center to all those wishing to pay tribute to the camp's victims, we feel a sense of duty well-accomplished. Thanks to funds from the Operational Programme Infrastructure and Environment, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum's resources and the direct financial support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, it has been possible to incorporate the historic Schlachthaus and Molkerei buildings into the infrastructure supporting visitor services - bringing them 'back to life', so to speak,' said Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Piotr Gliński in his speech.

'These buildings, which served the smooth operation of the German terror and extermination machine, have a terrible past. However, they will now serve a new purpose. They will provide logistical facilities for millions of visitors and enable the expansion of the content message,' Prof. Gliński stated.

'I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the realisation of this investment, especially the custodian of the Memorial - the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim - and its entire team, including the councils and all those who support the activities of the Museum, for consistently implementing the plan to increase its accessibility, eliminate architectural barriers and open it to people with special needs,' - he stressed.

Ronald S. Lauder and Joel and Ulrika Citron also provided financial support for this investment.

'I am honoured to have been able to support such a significant investment at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum, together with the Polish Minister of Culture and National Heritage and the European Union. It is a privilege that I could dedicate a portion of his life to preserving the authenticity of Auschwitz,' said Ronald S. Lauder, the president of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Foundation in New York, at a conference during the opening of the new Visitor Services Center. 

'Auschwitz is the most significant symbol of why we should fight antisemitism. Auschwitz is an example of the devastating outcomes of unmitigated hatred and the resulting murder of innocent people. We should never again allow Auschwitz in any other place, to any people, religion or culture,' emphasised Lauder. 

Wreaths were also laid on 14 June at the plaque honouring the first transport near the current Auschwitz Museum, on the premises of the former Polish Tobacco Monopoly building. On June 14, 1940, the SS placed prisoners there for the quarantine period, and today it is home to the Witold Pilecki Małopolska State University.

The official commemorations began in the morning at the St. Maximilian Centre in Harmęże. A solemn Mass was celebrated there, presided over by Bishop Roman Pindel, Ordinary of the Bielsko-Żywiec diocese.

'Almost like a roll call, we remember today the prisoners of the first transport. Following their conviction, they were sent from Tarnów prison to the recently established camp, which became internationally known by its German name Auschwitz and is still remembered with great sadness. Those who came to this camp sought to make sense of the situation - their arrival to an entirely new reality. They were searching for meaning behind the motive for the arrest. Thus, the dominant theme is the love of the homeland, the desire to defend it, and the increasing terror. Faith - be it strong, moderate or feeble - can facilitate unearthing the inner motivation that drives and inspires humankind,' said Bishop Pindel.

The clergyman recalled Marian Kołodziej, a prisoner of the first transport and post-war artist who created the monumental work "Memory Clisches. Labyrinths" dedicated to the camp ordeal and the figure of St Maximilian Kolbe. It is located in the basement of the church in Harmęże.

The organizers of commemorative events

• Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum
• Auschwitz Memento Association
• Bielsko-Żywiec Diocesan Curia
• Castle Museum in Oświęcim
• Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki State University of Małopolska in Oświęcim
• Department of the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) in Kraków
• Foundation for the Memory of Auschwitz-Birkenau Victims
• Foundation of Memory Sites Near Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Foundation Monument-Hospice for the Town of Oświęcim
• International Youth Meeting Center in Oświęcim
• Jewish Center in Oświęcim
• Kraków Foundation Center for Information, Meeting, Dialogue, Education and Prayer in Oświęcim
• movart Foundation
• the Office for War Veterans and Victims of Oppression
• the town of Oświęcim
• Oświęcim commune
• Oświęcim County Office
• Province of the St. Anthony of Padua and Blessed Jakub Strzemię of the Order of Friars
• Remembrance Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents
• Roma Association in Poland
• Society for the Protection of Oświęcim (TOnO)
• the town of Tarnów