The address of Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński - the director of the Auschwitz Museum - at the 74th anniversary of the liberation of the camp.
In the beginning was the Word.
And then, when it was with the people,
it turned out that the word could also destroy.
Simone Alizon recalled:
“Our words are not your words”.
Ramp does not equal platform.
Number does not equal name.
Segregation or selection does not equal choice.
Barracks does not equal building.
And today words have the power.
And it is so destructive.
On the Internet, in discussion, on forums, in comments.
In the media, titles, captions.
In the groups of notions, where the people who are poor,
cringing, running away… are presented as people with germs and diseases.
In the language of political debate,
in demagogy,
in populism.
In brutal opinions of those who,
supposed to serve, want to lead.
The words of hatred poison the imagination and stupefy consciousness.
Maybe this is why so many remain silent while confronted with evil.
Almost the entire world remained silent last year, confronted with the genocide in Burma.
The words of hatred create hatred.
The words of dehumanization dehumanize.
The words of menace increase the threat.
So why isn’t this taught at schools?
So why does our law allow it?
Why do homilies pass it over?
Why do the media use the language of war to describe peace?
We have already started paying for this.
In Poland, in Europe, in the world.
A year, one year remained
until the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.
Until international commemoration, which should constitute the ceremony of victory!
But we are scared how much destruction can still be done with words.
Raphaël Esrail wrote:
“The camp is not just a memory.
For the majority of us,
its reality is omnipresent in our everyday life.”
I have never heard a more terrible warning.
The warning against our own words.