News
Twenty-First Session of the International Auschwitz Council
The financial situation of museums located at the sites of former German Nazi concentration camps and extermination centers, work on the new main exhibition, the new Russian exhibition, and the state of the preservation of the historic Arbeit macht frei sign were some of the subjects that the International Auschwitz Council considered. The two-day meeting in Oświęcim on June 1-2 was chaired by Prof. Władysław Bartoszewski.
During his report on the work of the Memorial over the last half year, Director Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński spoke, among other things, about the very high levels of attendance at the Memorial and the associated challenges, conservation work, and the perspectives for education. He also submitted to the Council members expert opinions on the future of the historic Arbeit macht frei sign by conservationists who have almost finished work on the object.
The experts state that the optimal temperature for preserving the sign is between 17 and 19 degrees Celsius. Humidity must also be maintained at a constant level, and this cannot be ensured if the sign remains in the open air. For this reason, the original sign will become part of the future new main exhibition at the Memorial, where it will be accessible to all but secure. Members of the Council voiced no reservations in regard to this proposal.
The most difficult subject on the International Auschwitz Council agenda was the financial situation of Memorial sites established in Poland on the grounds of former German Nazi concentration camps and extermination centers. In many cases, the subsidies appropriated by the Polish government do not cover all the fixed costs of these institutions, let alone providing any possibility of carrying out large investments, long-term conservation work, or educational projects. In the case of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, the subsidy is sufficient to cover only half the fixed costs. The Secretary of the International Auschwitz Council reported on talks conducted on this subject at government level and announced that work has been renewed on systematic changes to the way the Memorials are financed.
The Council familiarized itself with the progress of work on the new main exhibition at the Memorial and also with the outlines of the scenario for the new Russian exhibition at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, which is being prepared by the Museum of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow. The Council recommended the continuation of work in the direction indicated by the scenario, as well as designating three representatives to observe the succeeding stages in the preparation of this exhibition.
The Council also heard a summary of the work of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which has the task of raising €120 million for the Emergency Fund to generate income for the conservation of relics of the former camp. After somewhat more than two years of operation, the Foundation has collected pledges for almost €85 million.
