News
New Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. P. Cywiński succeeds J. Wróblewski as director
Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński is the head of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum as of September 1, 2006. He takes over the duties of the previous director, Jerzy Wróblewski, who has retired after a career spanning 50 years.
The outgoing director met with Museum staff and invited guests before his retirement. Jerzy Wróblewski, who has been administrative director of the Museum since 1987 and general director since 1990, received a huge bouquet of red roses from his guests.
Wróblewski thanked former Auschwitz prisoners, his colleagues, and the representatives of international foundations, organizations, and institutions who played a part in rescuing the vestiges of history and, thus, the remembrance of Auschwitz.
During the meeting, the outgoing director also expressed his gratitude for many years of fruitful cooperation to representatives of the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the International Auschwitz Council, the Oświęcim Culture Center, the International Youth Meeting House, the International Auschwitz Committee, the Auschwitz Preservation Society, the authorities in the German federal government and the German Länder who have extended financial support to the Museum's preservation work over the years, and the staff of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum.
The Polish government recognized Wróblewski's accomplishments on many occasions. His honors include being named a Commander of the Order of Polonia Restituta. In 2005, the President of the Republic of Hungary made him an Officer of the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic.
Wróblewski is also a member of the International Auschwitz Council and a co-founder and voluntary chairman of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Death Camp Victims Memorial Foundation, which raises funds for the maintenance and conservation of the grounds and objects of the Auschwitz site, and for documenting and disseminating information about the Nazi crime of genocide and the remembrance of the victims of Auschwitz.
Selected Accomplishments of the Museum, 1990-2006
Under the leadership of Jerzy Wróblewski, the Museum at the site of the Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau camp became a modern institution, open to the outside world and maintaining permanent contact and cooperation with similar institutions in Poland and around the globe.
The most important accomplishments of the Museum in the years that Wróblewski was director include:
- preservation work connected with the conservation of the original wooden and brick barracks, the guard towers, over 3,000 reinforced concrete fence posts, and the ruins of the crematoria and gas chambers;
- the creation of modern preservation studios adapted to the Museum's needs and making it possible to perform all the most necessary preservation tasks on site;
- the establishment of the International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust, founded under the auspices of the Minister of Culture with the Jagiellonian University as its patron.
The Museum is an important institution in the city of Oświęcim, providing stable employment for approximately 250 full-time staff, almost 200 guides, and hundreds of other jobs, mostly in local companies, in connection with work related to the Museum's needs.
A FEW WORDS OF GRATITUDE
On September 1, 2006, I will have been working for 50 years. I have decided to retire that day. In this connection, I would like to express my gratitude, from the bottom of my heart, to all the fine people whom I have met over the years in my professional career, who have helped me, supported me, and taught me a great deal. I thank you for your cooperation and for the treasury of wisdom and experience that I have received from you.
I am particularly grateful to the former prisoners of AUSCHWITZ, who have trusted me, wished me well, and, in many cases, even become friends.
I thank all the colleagues whom I have felt honored to work with during these years. The vast majority of you have been splendid.
I thank all of you who acknowledged my efforts and those of my colleagues, and honored us with various proofs of your appreciation.
I thank the representatives of all the international foundations, organizations, and institutions who have done so much to rescue the vestiges of history and, thus, the remembrance of Auschwitz.
I thank all my dear friends. Your presence and the affection you bestowed on me have always given me strength, and have, from time to time, taken my mind off everyday worries and problems.
I thank my family, as well—every one of you, without exception. You know full well how much I owe you. There is no way that I could ever list, describe, or sum up all the things that I am grateful for.
You were always magnanimous in forgiving me for the many family obligations that I neglected in connection with my professional duties.
My warm reminiscences also extend to the ranks of my few—I hope—opponents, or literally, those who wished me all the worst. I am deeply convinced that you were mistaken, and only regret that I did not have time enough to convince you of this.
Thanking all of you for everything,
JERZY WRÓBLEWSKI
Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau
State Museum in Oświęcim
