On January 27, 1945, soldiers of the Red Army crossed the city limits and the gates of the German Nazi Auschwitz camp. Only about 7,000 prisoners: men, women and children survived to see the liberation.
Due to the approaching front line, between January 17 and 21, 1945, the Germans evacuated approximately 56,000 prisoners from KL Auschwitz and its sub-camps. Strictly guarded by the SS, the evacuation columns were directed to Wodzisław Śląski and Gliwice. In the „death march”, as this evacuation was called, between 9000 and 15000 prisoners died.
The Remembrance Museum of the Land of Oświęcim Residents actively participated in the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Oświęcim and KL Auschwitz.
Temporary exhibition in the Main Market Square
In the area of the Main Market Square in Oświęcim, in cooperation with the Oświęcim City Hall, the Museum organized a temporary exhibition titled “Faces of Aid. Residents of the Oświęcim Land in the Service of Humanity”. In the southern part of the Market Square, 7 display stands were set up featuring 28 panels with photographs and biographical notes of 29 out of over 1200 people involved in helping prisoners of KL Auschwitz during the German occupation. The exhibition will be available until the end of March 2025.
Temporary exhibition in the museum
Until the end of February 2025, at the MPMZO headquarters at 2A Kolbego Street in Oświęcim, you can visit the exhibition entitled “In times of war, the law falls silent”. It includes selected paintings, sculptures and textile arts of “Oświęcim collection” from the Libiąż Cultural Center (LCK). The collection features artworks created after the end of World War II and mostly donated to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum by Polish and foreign artists: painters, sculptors, graphic artists, students of art schools, and non-professional artists. Due to an agreement between the museum and the cultural institution from Libiąż in 2012, these art works were transferred to the LCK.
Lecture in Katowice
On January 21, 2025, upon the invitation of the Silesian Voivodeship Office, museum educator Anita Bury gave a lecture combined with a presentation titled „The Phenomenon of People of Goodwill” in the Silesian Parliament Hall in Katowice. The term „People of Goodwill” refers to the residents of Oświęcim region and members of underground organizations who, during the German occupation, risked their lives to support Auschwitz concentration camp prisoners, provided them with food, clothing and medicines, acted as intermediaries in the delivery of illegal correspondence (secret messages known in Polish language as grypsy), and also assisted in escapes from the camp.
The meeting was attended by teachers and students.
Anniversary celebrations
January 27, 2025 is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. “The main commemorative event will begin at 4:00 p.m. in a special tent set up over the gate of the former Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp. One of the symbols of the celebrations will be a historic freight wagon that will be positioned directly in front of the gate,” the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum announced.
Since 2005, January 27 has been recognized as International Holocaust Remembrance Day, established by the United Nations General Assembly.
