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Order of Saint Charles to Piotr M.A. Cywiński
Director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and president of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, Dr Piotr M.A. Cywiński, was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Saint Charles, the highest decoration of state of the Principality of Monaco.
The Principality is one of the countries that have financially supported the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation in its activities aimed at implementing conservation work at the Memorial Site.
Prince Albert II of Monaco together with Princess Charlene visited the site of the former Nazi Germany concentration and extermination camp of Auschwitz along with the museum preservation workshops in October 2012. "The flame of our memory will never die," the princely couple wrote in the guest book.
“The preservation of this place is very important,” said Prince Albert. “You can not provide historical explanations if we do not have particular, authentic items that would realise this. To understand what has been conceived by the Nazis, and unfortunately put into practice, it is absolutely necessary that the place is left for future generations as authentic as possible,” he stressed.
Order of St. Charles was established in 1858 and is awarded to citizens of Monaco and foreigners for service rendered to the Prince and the Principality of Monaco.
