News
Last meeting of the Council of the Museum in this term
The last meeting of the Council of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in its four-year term of office was held. Council members unanimously approved a report on the activities of the Museum in 2010 and plans for next year.
One of the main subjects of the meeting was the budgetary situation of the Memorial, deteriorating year by year. At the beginning of the meeting the director of the Museum, Dr. Peter M. A. Cywinski, familiarized the Council with the work of the institution last year. He talked about the biggest current projects and plans for the current year. Among the topics discussed were continuing a steady increase in the number of visitors to the Memorial and the related project to create a new Visitors Service Center. Another important area of discussion was the restoration work and activities related to the creation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation Perpetual Fund, intended to fund them long term.
The next item on the agenda was a speech by Krystyna Oleksy, deputy director of the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust, who spoke about the projects carried out by the ICEAH. Council members raised concerns about the real threat to the development of the Center for Education due to lack of funds for the adaptation of the so-called Old Theater building for the future headquarters of the ICEAH. The Museum tries to raise the money needed in the fourth stage of the Oświęcim Strategic Government Program, but still is not quite certain whether this strategic investment will be included in the OSGP.
The Museum Council is a consultative body appointed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Law on museums. It exercises supervision over the statutory activities of institutions and gives its opinion on future plans of action.
Composition of the Museum Council
- Kazimierz Albin
- Alice Bartuś
- Andrew Bibrzycki
- Prof. Tomasz Gąsowski
- Prof. Jan Kantyka
- Prof. Edward Kosakowski
- Prof. Stanislaw Krajewski
- Peter Kucka
- Jerzy Wróblewski - chairman
The Museum Council is a consultative body appointed by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage under the Law on museums. According to the Act, it numbers 5-15 people. Its term lasts four years. The Act states that the Council "shall exercise supervision over the fulfillment of the museum's obligations toward its collections and society, and estimates, on the basis of the Museum's Annual Report, submitted by the Director, the activities of the museum and gives its opinion on the annual plan of activities submitted by the Director."
The Law on Museums of 21 November 1996 (Dz. U. 1997 No. 5, item. 24)
Chapter 2 Organization of Museums
[...]
Article 11 [Council of the Museum]
1. At state and local museums a museum council operates, whose members are appointed by a competent authority referred to in Article. Paragraph 5. 2 or 3
2. Museum Board:
1) supervises the fulfillment of the museum's obligations toward its collections and society, particularly the implementation of the objectives set out in Article. 1,
2) evaluates, on the basis of the Museum's Annual Report, submitted by the Director, the activities of the museum and gives its opinion on the annual plan of activities submitted by the Director.
3. The term of office of members of the museum council lasts for four years, subject to Art. 18. Paragraph 1.
4. The Council of the museum consists of from 5 to 15 members. Museum board members are appointed and dismissed by a competent authority referred to in Article. 5 Paragraph 2 or 3. The Museum Council shall elect from among its members a chairman.
5. The board of the museum is made up of persons chosen from among candidates nominated by:
1) a competent authority referred to in Article. Paragraph 5. 2 or 3,
2) local government bodies appropriate to the museum except local authorities referred to in Article. 5 Paragraph 3,
3) scientific and creative associations,
4) foundations and other institutions supporting the museum,
5) the Council for the Protection of the Memory of Struggle and Martyrdom in the museums operating within its jurisdiction,
6) the director of the museum,
7) the council of the museum itself.
6. Museum board members appointed by the entity referred to in Article 5 Paragraph 2 or 3, shall not comprise more than 1 / 3 of the board of the museum.
7. The museum's director and secretary of the museum participate in its meetings, the secretariat of the council is provided by the museum.
