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83rd anniversary of the first transport of Poles to Auschwitz. Opening of the new Visitor Services Center - 14 June 2023
83rd ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST TRANSPORT OF POLES TO KL AUSCHWITZ.
NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR THE VICTIMS OF GERMAN NAZI
CONCENTRATION AND EXTERMINATION CAMPS.
On 14 June 1940, the Germans transferred a group of 728 Poles from the prison in Tarnów to the Auschwitz camp. The group included soldiers of the September campaign, members of independence underground organisations, school pupils and students, and a small group of Polish Jews. They were given numbers from 31 to 758. Of the 728 deported prisoners, 325 survived the war, 292 perished, while the fate of 111 is unknown to date.
Events commemorating the 83rd anniversary are held under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.
PROGRAM OF THE COMMEMORATION EVENT
• 11.00 - Holy Mass at the Franciscan Monastery in Harmęże
• 12.30 - placing flowers at the plaque commemorating the deportation of the first transport of Poles to Auschwitz
(Cavalry Captain Witold Pilecki State University of Małopolska in Oświęcim)
• 13.30 - commemoration at the Wall of Death (former Auschwitz I camp) with the participation of official delegations of state authorities and organizers of the commemoration (online broadcast planned)
All survivors who wish to participate in the commemoration event are asked to contact the organisers (phone: +48 33 844 80 23 / ).
OPENING OF THE VISITOR SERVICES CENTER
On 14 June, after the main commemoration event, we will open the new Visitor Services Center of the Museum. It was created in the immediate vicinity of the former Auschwitz I camp.
The Visitor Services Center was made within the project titled “Improving the access to cultural resources by extending the visit route of Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum with post-camp space of Schlachthaus and Molkerei buildings together with the reconstruction of the cinema hall.” It was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the European Regional Development Fund as part of the Infrastructure and Environment Operational Programme 2014-2020, priority axis: VIII Protection of cultural heritage and development of cultural resources, action 8.1 Protection of cultural heritage and development of cultural resources.
The entire project includes a car park with luggage storage and toilets, as well as an entrance building that will house, among other things, a bookshop and a cafeteria. Thanks to the project, the historic building that housed the slaughterhouse and the dairy during the camp's operation has been saved from destruction. The Museum cinema hall has also been modernised. A new three-story hostel is being built next to the Center. The space created in this way will in future provide accommodation for volunteers, trainees and people taking part in longer study visits, conferences or seminars.
Financial support for this investment was also provided by Ronald S. Lauder and Joel and Ulrika Citron.
Visitors will begin using the new car park and entrance to the Museum, located at Więźniów Oświęcimia 55, from 15 June 2023.
INFORMATION FOR THE MEDIA
Accreditation applies for the part of the commemoration event at the Memorial (ceremony at the Wall of Death and the opening of the Visitor Services Center). Fill in the online accreditation form until 11 June 2023.
INDIVIDUAL COMMEMORATIONS
On June 14, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., there will be a possibility for individual commemoration at the Memorial and the laying of wreaths and candles at the Death Wall in the courtyard of Block 11. Prior contact is required at to set the entry time. Please also see the regulations on the Museum website.
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
