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Publications of the Auschwitz Museum in Turin

The publishing house of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum presented their multi-language publications at the International Book Fair in Turin, one of the most important cultural events in Italy, attended by over a thousand publishers.

'The presence of the Auschwitz Memorial Site at the Fair is extremely important. We are grateful for the publication in Italian language of some very important books that until now were unknown in our country,' said Michele Curto from the Municipal Council of Turin, which is also one of the initiators of the Train of Remembrance that has been organized for over 10 years. It is an educational project, thanks to which tens of thousands of young Italians have visited the Auschwitz Memorial.

In addition to scientific publications relating to the history of Auschwitz, such as the monograph "Auschwitz -  The Nazi Death Camp,” and the album "Auschwitz-Birkenau -  The Place Where You Are Standing," several memoirs have been translated into Italian: "Hope Dies Last“ by Halina Birenbaum, "Childhood Behind Barbed Wires" by Bogdan Bartnikowski, "I was at the Auschwitz Crematorium” - an interview with Henryk Mandelbaum as well as "Warrant of Arrest" by Kazimierz Albin.

'Until now, recipients of the Museum’s publications in Italian language were mainly visitors to the Auschwitz Memorial Site. These books are also available at our online bookstore. However, thanks to our presence at the Book Fair for the first time at such full-scale, we could reach out to a broad range of Italian readers with the memories of Auschwitz witnesses,' stressed the head of the Museum’s Publications Jadwiga Pinderska-Lech.

The guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Book Fair Halina Birenbaum was welcomed by the President of the Republic of Italy Sergio Mattarella. During the meeting with the author; the poet and writer responded to numerous questions from readers. 'I am touched and happy that my story and those of my loved ones who died in the Shoah has also reached Italy,' said Birenbaum. Bogdan Bartnikowski also met with Italian readers and introduced among others, the fate of children deported by the Germans to Auschwitz from insurgent Warsaw in 1944.

At the Museum’s exhibition stand, in addition to publications, readers could also see a panel exhibition "German Nazi death camp – Konzentrationslager Auschwitz", which presents all the most important issues in the history of the camp, as well as the genesis of the Nazi movement and the specific elements of the German terror scheme introduced in occupied Poland. The Italian version of the exposition was enriched with panels telling the fate of Italian Jews in Auschwitz.

The presence of the Museum at the Book Fair in Turin was possible due to cooperation with the Municipal Council in Turin, Terra del Fuoco Foundation and Gruppo Dirigenti Fiat.