News
First meeting of the Museum Council for the 2012-2016 term
The Council of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum met at the first meeting of the 2012-2016 term. It is a consultative body, appointed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, and supervises the statutory activity of Museum as well as the issuing of opinions on plans for its actions. The new Council members are: Piotr Hertig, Andrzej Kunert, PhD, Fr. Jan Nowak, Krystyna Oleksy and Anda Rottenberg.
The director of the Museum, Piotr M.A. Cywiński, emphasised its significance: “The Auschwitz Memorial Site focuses itself very much on the axis of discussions. Hence the importance that is attached in everyday work to all forms of collegiate debate that exist within the space of the Museum. The Museum Council, which is a statutory body existing in every museum also plays an important role in the discussion of the programme with respect to Auschwitz,” he noted.
Piotr M.A. Cywiński acquainted the Council with the activities of the Memorial Site in 2011, and discussed, among others issues, the record number of visitors to the sites of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz and the work on a new visitor service centre. He also approached actions relating to the preparation of a new main exhibition and a project for the adaptation of the building called the “Old Theatre” for the future headquarters of the ICEAH.
Many other important events of the last year were, amongst others: the completion of restoration works on the “Arbeit macht frei” inscription, the continuation of projects implemented by the European Operational Programme and financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the signing of an agreement under which the European Commission will allocate 4 million euros for the project “Auschwitz – preserving authenticity.” At the same time, just as with previous years, the matter of the varying budgetary situation of the Memorial Site was raised along with the associated problems.
The Council Members issued a unanimous positive decision on the report of the director of the Museum’s operations in 2011 and have adopted plans for the next year.
Composition of the Museum Council (2012-2016 term)
- Kazimierz Albin
- Professor Tomasz Gąsowski, MD, Ph.D.
- Piotr Hertig
- Professor Jan Kantyka, MD, Ph.D.
- Professor Edward Kosakowski
- Stanisław Krajewski, MD, Ph.D.
- Andrzej Kunert, MD, Ph.D.
- Fr. Jan Nowak
- Krystyna Oleksy — President
- Anda Rottenberg
