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“Remember!” – A Temporary Exhibition on the 70th Anniversary of the Extermination of the Jews
The exhibition is dedicated to the memory of the Jews deported in the summer of 1944 - 70 years ago - from Hungary to the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. It is taking place in the temporary exhibition hall in Block 12 on the premises of the former Auschwitz I camp.
The exhibition begins with words taken from Journal by Sándor Marai: “This massive disaster did not occur unexpectedly; but yet no-one really believed it could happen. At this time we are unable to even understand its extent and the human tragedy it was. Each day, which I am currently facing, will be considered as one of the most heinous chapters in the history of Hungary.”
The main part of the exhibition is a display of photographs from the so-called Auschwitz Album, showing Jews deported to the camp from Hungary. This is a unique collection of photos taken by German photographers, showing various stages of the extermination at Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Thanks to historians’ research we have been able to recognise some of the photographed people and find out their names. Unfortunately, most of them remain nameless. In addition, the exhibit also presents some everyday objects, silent witnesses of the events of 70 years ago: among them are suitcases, clothes brushes, packages with Hungarian inscriptions and an extract from a prayer book. These objects are complemented by testimonies of eyewitnesses.
The following is a fragment of the testimony of Agnes Havas: "We were three days on the way. There were 70-80 people in the railway wagon. The Hungarian and German guards escorted us to the Hungarian border. From there only the Germans carried on. They brought us to the Birkenau unloading ramp at night. I remember the fire on either side of the ramp. I did not know anything about the existence of a concentration camp. I had a twin sister. During the selection we were isolated deliberately. Our father and grandmother were taken to another group. Later I found out that this group went to the gas chamber."
“70 years on from those tragic events, we recall the memory of the Victims,” said Teresa Zbrzeska, the author of the script and the concept of the exhibition. “We want them to be remembered, not only by placing information about them in a historical way, but also in ordinary, human terms, as we mention people’s loved ones on the anniversary of their death. We are not simply describing the events, but giving a voice to the witnesses of that time.”
The "Remember!" exhibition can be seen until 15 June 2014 and is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am-6pm. The history of those Jews deported from Hungary to Auschwitz can also be followed on the Auschwitz Memorial’s Facebook page.
The main phase of deportations of Jews from Hungary began on 14th May and lasted until 9th July 1944. During this period, 142 trains arrived in Auschwitz, transporting about 420,000 people. If we add to this number the transports from April and a few smaller from autumn 1944, the total number of the deported from Hungary amounts to about 430,000.
The 70th anniversary of the deportations of Jews from Hungary is one of a few important anniversaries this year: 2014 also marks the 70th anniversary of the liquidation of the so-called Zigeunerlager at Birkenau; the 70th anniversary of the deportation of almost 13,000 Poles arrested during the Warsaw Uprising to Auschwitz, the 70th anniversary of the extermination of Jews from the liquidated ghetto in Łódź in the camp; and the 70th anniversary of the Sonderkommando prisoners’ revolt at Auschwitz. On 27th January 2015, 70 years will have passed since the liberation of the Auschwitz camp.
Concept and script of the exhibition: Teresa Zbrzeska
Co-operation: Anna Ren
Realisation: Elżbieta Pietruczuk, Edyta Chwistek, Studio Imago Ars
