Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial – A Place of Remembrance and Warning
The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum consists of two major sites that provide profound insight into the history of the Holocaust: Auschwitz I (the main camp) and Auschwitz II-Birkenau.
Auschwitz I was the original main camp, surrounded by a massive concrete wall, where numerous brick prisoner barracks have been preserved. Today, these historic buildings house the museum’s powerful permanent exhibition. In the various blocks, visitors can explore important subjects: from the establishment and development of the camp between 1940 and 1945, through the systematic extermination of the Polish and Jewish populations, to the personal belongings of the victims. Exhibitions concerning resistance and solidarity among prisoners, as well as Block 11 with its cells, punishment cells and the notorious Death Wall, also bear witness to the tragic fates of that period.
The presentation is complemented by national exhibitions from countries including Poland, Hungary, France, the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as a dedicated Shoah exhibition and changing temporary exhibitions that illuminate further aspects of this history.
Auschwitz II-Birkenau is situated approximately three kilometres from the main camp. Covering an area around 50 times larger than Auschwitz I, it is the central symbol of the German Nazi extermination camp system. Today, visitors can see the ruins of former prisoner barracks, the foundations of four large crematoria, the remains of the gas chambers, watchtowers and the railway unloading area. The International Monument on the site provides a powerful commemoration of the victims of this incomprehensible crime.
The entire memorial extends over several dozen hectares and invites visitors to engage deeply with its history. A visit generally includes a guided tour of both parts of the camp and lasts approximately three to three and a half hours. For organisational reasons, visits are possible only with an advance reservation. A modern visitor centre provides comprehensive information materials, sanitary facilities and luggage storage.
