- The first question we asked ourselves when we set up our Facebook account was, do social media users see a place for us there? We had some concern that with the story of Auschwitz and the seriousness of the subject, we were stepping in between very different content: a music video, a funny picture, and birthday wishes from friends. Nevertheless, we felt that it was a space where we should be present. This is because we have noticed that people write about Auschwitz there and search for information, which may lead them to sites set up by deniers. Consequently, we decided it was appropriate to be there as an official institution - says Paweł Sawicki of the Auschwitz Museum Press Office.
Sawicki has been with the institution since 2007. He previously lived in Warsaw and worked for Polish Radio. In addition to being a press officer, he is also one of the guides at the Museum. For several years he created a series of documentaries, “Auschwitz - between crime and sanctity” in Polish Radio II, presenting audio accounts of former Auschwitz prisoners.
Since childhood, Sawicki had visited Oświęcim, where some of his family lived. His first encounter with the Auschwitz Museum was at the age of 10, and his interest in the history of the camp followed several years later. Today, through his activities, among others, the museum’s social media have become so popular.
- Every day, we post 12 names on Twitter, which are also supposed to show the multidimensionality and complexity of the Auschwitz tragedy, present the different groups of victims, various fates, explain the nuances of the camp’s functioning. So, in addition to its commemorative dimension, it also has an educational one. Typically, apart from a name and a photograph, we know nothing more, but occasionally it is possible to publish the broader story of an individual. They are such touching snippets of history that one can relate to very easily. It helps one face the enormity of what happened in Auschwitz - says Sawicki. The photos uploaded to the profile come from subsequent databases, for which there is increasing access.
The light side of the force
The museum has two Twitter accounts: Polish and English language versions. The polish account has over 10,000 followers. The latter is a phenomenon, having amassed over a million followers. It also attracted Mark Hamill, aka Luke Skywalker of “Star Wars”. Hamill is active on Twitter, amusing, tweets often and has a substantial group of followers. Last year he wrote: - Is it easy to follow the @AuschwitzMuseum account? No. It is, indeed, one of the most painful and harrowing accounts on Twitter. It is also a reminder of one of the darkest periods in human history that we must #NEVERForget.