“Auschwitz. Not long ago.
Not far away” exhibition with the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award
Paweł Sawicki
The exhibition traces the development of Nazi ideology and tells the transformation of an ordinary Polish town of Oświęcim where during the occupation the German Nazis created the largest concentration camp and extermination center—at which ca. 1 million Jews, and tens of thousands of others, were murdered. Victims included Polish political prisoners, Sinti and Roma, Soviet POWs, and other groups persecuted by Nazi ideology, such as: disabled, asocials, Jehovah's Witnesses or homosexuals. In addition, the exhibition contains artifacts that depict the world of the perpetrators—SS men who created and operated the largest of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camps.
“The award is an important signal. The exhibition has been very well received by the visitors as well as by schools and the media. It is a very good, modern, extensive exhibition about the history of the camp and its victims. But today, for me, it is extremely important that the history of dehumanization of the victims touches the very heart of our postwar identity," said Auschwitz Museum director Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński.
“Regardless of the development of the epidemic situation in the world, every step in creating a safer, more friendly world that respects human rights is a step against all ideologies of hatred, racism, antisemitism or xenophobia,” he emphasized.
Luis Ferreiro, the director of Musealia said, that it is not possible to understand the space of freedom, democracy and security that we share today as Europeans without facing this story. “Europe is built on the moral ruins of Auschwitz. It happened in the heart of Europe and just a generation ago,” he stated.
“This recognition encourages us to keep working in preserving this vital heritage of memory, reaching out with its message to citizens all over the world,” he added.
According to the jury this awareness-raising and educational project preserves the memory of one of the worst episodes in the history of humanity and is based on deep, scientific, historical research. „The topic is communicated in a direct and accessible way for different audiences without lessening its importance and has already reached an impressive number of visitors. The exhibition is supported by social media dissemination of the contents in order to approach a young audience and to maintain the remembrance of the victims of Auschwitz,” stated the jury.
The exhibition „Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away” prepared jointly by the Spanish company Musealia and the Auschwitz Memorial has received the Grand Prix of the European Heritage Award / Europa Nostra Award. It is the most prestigious European award in the heritage field. The project was second in Public Choice Award. The awards were presented in a special online ceremony on 10 November 2020.