News
Memory as a Source of Inspiration and Wisdom. Auschwitz Museum Report 2025.
An English-Polish report summarizing the year 2025 at the Auschwitz Memorial and Museum has been published. In his introduction, Director Dr Piotr M. A. Cywiński devoted his remarks to the role of memory in today’s world.
"We often view memory as a means of social bonding. Memory, however—in its polyphony—is primarily the foundation of evaluation and discernment, a crucial warning, a wellspring of inspiration and wisdom, and the basis for understanding one’s own individual role in the present," he wrote.
"State institutions ought to uphold the principle of subsidiarity—offering support and assistance—in the domain of memory as well," wrote Piotr Cywiński.
The 104-page bilingual publication presents information on the most significant events of the past year at the Museum, including a summary of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, with excerpts from speeches delivered by Auschwitz Survivors: Tova Friedman, Janina Iwańska, Marian Turski, and Leon Weintraub.
The report includes an analysis of visitor numbers to the Memorial Site, which was visited by 1.95 million people in the previous year, as well as information on key educational projects, including the international expert conference organized every two years.
"In a rapidly changing world and with new generations, reflecting on educational methodology through networking is becoming increasingly important," one reads.
The report also presents a summary of the Museum’s activity on social media platforms.
"Over three million people now engage with the Museum’s content across various social platforms. In 2025, the most dynamic growth was recorded on Facebook, which gained more than 300,000 followers. Viewership of video content on YouTube nearly doubled, reaching over 1.6 million views in 2025. The most popular are short films focusing on various aspects of the history of Auschwitz," one reads.
"In 2025, the online environment saw an influx of false images, videos, and content about Auschwitz and the Holocaust, generated using artificial intelligence. This poses a significant danger. We urge social platforms—especially Facebook—to revise their policies to prevent the publication and spread of such content," one reads.
Other topics addressed in the report include conservation work carried out at the Memorial, new publications and exhibitions, in particular the first part of the New Main Exhibition, the exhibition dedicated to Poles in KL Auschwitz, and the temporary exhibition Prussian Blue by Yishai Jusidman. The report also covers new acquisitions in the Museum’s Archive and Collections, and directions of ongoing research.
An important component of the publication is the financial report and the list of donors who supported the Museum. The report also includes information on the activities of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial Foundation in the United States, whose primary mission is to support the preservation of the authenticity of the Memorial Site.
"The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation’s principal pillar is financing preservation efforts at the Museum. Since 2012, it has allocated over 172 million PLN for preservation, including 24 million PLN in 2025 alone. These funds originate from returns on the Foundation’s Endowment Fund, which exceeded 754 million PLN in 2025," one reads.
The texts are accompanied by photographs presenting the most important events at the Memorial Site, as well as reproductions of artifacts and archival documents.
The report is published on the day preceding the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz.
