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Women of war. Auschwitz and the Holocaust against the backdrop of genocide in the twentieth century
“Women of war” was the main topic of the 5th Polish National Conference “Auschwitz and the Holocaust against the backdrop of genocide in the twentieth century”, which took place in Oświęcim between 5 and 8 June. The aim of the conference was to show situation of women during armed conflicts and wars, as well as in places where human rights abuse takes place. One of the organizers of the conference was International Centre for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum.
“Women of war – it’s a deeply moving topic, especially in this place. Although we usually associate Auschwitz with war, it is difficult to reduce the meaning of the term, Auschwitz, only to war” said Andrzej Kacorzyk, director of International Centre for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust, during the conference inauguration. “Auschwitz could have happen in Nazi Germany without the war. The history of concentration camps started before the war and it wasn’t a preparation to it. Soviet camps worked during post-war period as well. So, can we call the women from Auschwitz – women of war? Can we call wives of Soviet exiles women of war? If yes, which ones? Was it Aufseherin? Female prisoner in a striped coat, or a mother with her child going along the railway platform in Birkenau to a gas chamber?” added Kacorzyk.
During seven thematic blocks, which the conference consisted of (Women in Totalitarian Ideology, To Show the War, Rape as a War Strategy, Entanglement in the System, Fighting Women, If the World Had Been a Woman and Perpetrators and Victims), the participants could familiarise with the theme connected with the role of women in war and armed conflicts or totalitarian systems in historical, sociological and philosophical perspective.
The lecturers of the conference included distinguished scientists like prof. dr hab. Eugeniusz Cezary Król, prof. dr hab. Jacek Chrobaczyński, prof. dr hab. Roman Wieruszewski and prof. Andrzej Żbikowski, as well as people helping the victims of armed conflicts: komandor Bożena Sztubińska (chairman of the Council of Women Serving in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland), Draginja Nadażdin (Amnesty International) and war correspondent Anna Wojtacha. The conference was addressed to educators, lecturers, teachers, and representatives of non-governmental organizations who deal with human rights as well as to workers of Memorial Sites.
The organizers and partners of the conference included: Foundation for International Youth Meeting Centre in Oświęcim, International Center for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust in Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Memorial Foundation for the Victims of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Institute of History of Pedagogical University of Cracow, Centre for Holocaust Studies of Jagiellonian University and Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.
More about the conference in June edition of Monthly Periodical “Oś Oświęcim – Ludzie – Historia – Kultura” (Oświęcim – People – History – Culture Axis).
