Poland

Poles at KL Auschwitz

Permanent exhibition dedicated to the fate of Poles in the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. It is presented in Block 15, and consists of two parts: “Poles in KL Auschwitz” and “In the Shadow of Death – Oświęcim during the German Occupation 1939–1945.”
The exhibition scenario was prepared by Dr Piotr Setkiewicz, Head of the Research Center of the Auschwitz Museum.

The concept focuses on the most significant historical themes to provide a comprehensive picture of both the realities of the German occupation of Poland and the fate of Poles deported to Auschwitz. It complements the Main Exhibition and the narrative conveyed in the authentic space of the Memorial Site.

The first part is devoted to the fate of Polish citizens deported by the Germans to the camp – as part of the occupation terror system aimed, among others, at representatives of the Polish intelligentsia and the resistance movement, ethnic cleansing, and other forms of repression, as well as within the framework of the plan to exterminate the Jews.

The second part – “In the Shadow of Death” – presents the history of Oświęcim and its inhabitants during the Second World War. It depicts the realities of the occupation, the expulsion of the local population, the operations of the IG Farbenindustrie concern, the German plans for the reconstruction of the town, and the dramatic fate of local residents. It also tells the story of the help provided to Auschwitz prisoners by people from the surrounding area.

The exhibition was financed through a special-purpose grant from the Minister of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.

The design documentation for the exhibition was prepared by a consortium of companies: Adventure Sławomir Mazan, Jarema Szandar Sp. J., Koza Nostra Studio Sp. z o.o., and Biuro Usług Architektonicznych “Profil” Sp. z o.o. The General Contractor of the exhibition was a consortium of companies: Budownictwo i Zarządzanie Tomasz Francuz Sp. z o.o. and MTMA Sp. z o.o.

The exhibition was opened on 2 September 2025. It replaced the former exhibition “The Struggle and Martyrdom of the Polish Nation 1939–1945,” one of the oldest at the Memorial Site.