News
New online lesson: "Conservation at Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial"
"Conservation at Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial" is a new online lesson of the Museum that explains in-depth how the Memorial preserves all the authentic remains of Auschwitz.<
The author of the lesson is Agnieszka Tanistra-Różanowska, the head of the Master Plan for Preservation - a comprehensive, long-term programme of conservation works financed by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation.
"From its earliest days, the Museum has carried out its statutory mission, namely the commemoration and documentation of the murder and martyrdom of the victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp among others, by preservation and conservation of the grounds of the former KL Auschwitz, on which the Museum was set up, together with the architecture and infrastructure within, and the collections," states the introduction.
In 2003 the Museum established modern Conservation Laboratories. The Ronald Lauder Foundation provided the funds for conducting adaptation of the building and both the furnishing and equipment of the laboratories. Funds were also donated by the governments of several European countries: France, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, and Russia.
Among the most important aims of the Laboratories are the retaining the original historical substance, assessment of the degree of preservation, documentation, investigation of restoration questions, valuation, climate control, and prompt initiation of works aimed at protecting the historical post-camp items.
The conservators at the Memorial have developed a uniform approach, which involves applying a number of basic principles. These include: maximal respect for the original historical substance; abstaining from reconstruction and any action that is not absolutely necessary with respect to the condition and degree of preservation of the object; introduction of new elements in a reversible manner allowing distinguishing them from the original; and striving to assure optimum conditions for the objects by eliminating and minimising the impact of destructive factors.
All the principles are illustrated in the lesson by examples of various work carried out at the Museum, such as the conservation of the historical buildings of Blocks 2 and 3 at Auschwitz I, the brick and wooden barracks at Auschwitz II-Birkenau, suitcases belonging to victims, elements of the gas chambers and crematoria, Zyklon B cans, and archival documents.
Assuring appropriate financial assets for conservation is an important factor in the preservation of heritage sites and items, especially ones of the scale and significance of the remnants of the KL Auschwitz–Birkenau. The above is the more significant, as all the items actually require that conservation procedures of smaller or greater scope are repeated over the years. At present, the safety of conservation works is ensured by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, established in 2009, and its Perpetual Fund.
"Conservation is systematic, follows a plan, and is free from threats ensuing from lack of financing, as funds for that purpose have already been assured and cannot be spent in any other way," states the lesson.
The Perpetual Fund created and managed by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation has already been supported by nearly 40 countries. The Foundation aims to raise at least €176 million. In 2021, the Foundation donated over PLN 21 million for conservation work.
"Establishment of the Special Fund, independent of the inconsistent sources of Museum financing, guarantees resources for conservation and is a step that ensures stability and continuity of conservation and preservation of the remnants of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau in a long-term perspective," we read.
The lesson "Conservation at Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial" is available in English and Polish.
