“CHRONICLE OF EVENTS
AT KL AUSCHWITZ”
Auschwitz Memorial
Danuta Czech was the author of the first Chronicle, published in 1992. In this new edition, the authors have presented many aspects of the camp's operation in a fresh light by incorporating a broader context for the events described.
– The new edition of the chronicle, although based on the text of the previous edition, is more than two and a half times larger. Many entries have been supplemented, corrected, or thoroughly rewritten. This need for updates arose primarily from advancements in research regarding the history of Auschwitz and the availability of previously inaccessible archive collections, according to Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz, head of the Museum Research Centre.
In the foreword to this publication, Auschwitz Museum Director Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywiński emphasised that "history is the description of a continuous series of events, connected by their causes and effects. These events result from one another and lead to others. Collective memory always presents a polyphony; however, for this polyphony to harmonise, the work of historians is essential. They create a factual axis around which the multiplicity of individual memories can be embedded."
The expanded edition of the Chronicle now includes new documents allowing additional entries and illustrating the logical connections between events. Three key aspects have been particularly highlighted: first, the complex motives behind the establishment of Auschwitz in the spring of 1940, which were often influenced by changing directives from the SS; second, the role of the IG Farbenindustrie, which integrated the camp to support rubber and fuel production; and third, the gradual radicalisation of Nazi Germany's policy towards Jews, who were not only meant to be eliminated but also exploited as labour. Additionally, the introduction of extended commentaries and new footnotes helps readers better understand the context and relationships between events, particularly how the decisions made by the SS authorities affected camp life.
– The figures detailing the camp's daily population and prevailing mortality rate are particularly noteworthy among the newly uncovered information. The reports illustrate the progress of construction work, including the erection of crematoria and gas chambers. Additionally, there is a new chronology of certain deportation transports, especially those arriving in 1944 from Hungary and the Łódź Ghetto, as well as transports of prisoners evacuated from Auschwitz to other concentration camps in Germany during that time – added Setkiewicz.
The authors have extensively used source documents related to SS crew members, illustrating their crimes and their personal lives, leisure activities, and the rewards they received for fulfilling their duties as expected by their superiors.
The new "Chronicle of Events at KL Auschwitz" spans 2,216 pages and is divided into five volumes. Volume one covers events from 1939 to 1941, the second describes 1942, the third focuses on 1943, and the fourth is dedicated to 1944 and the first weeks of 1945. Volume five includes a list of abbreviations, SS service ranks, a glossary of terms, a bibliography, a personal index, and photographs of the Auschwitz site from 1945 to 1946. Each volume is enriched with illustrative material, including pictures, reproductions of plans, maps, and scanned documents.
According to Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz the depiction of Auschwitz presented in the Calendar reveals a state of constant disarray in the management of the camp. Nonetheless, despite this chaos, the perpetrators succeeded in their objective: they established a system for the mass extermination of people.
– Such results were achieved using modern, industrialised, and carefully considered methods. Ad hoc and improvised solutions were also employed when these methods proved unsatisfactory. Many prisoners died not only due to direct killings carried out by the SS but also because the authorities refused to provide basic conditions for survival. This indicates that their actions were deliberate and aimed at achieving a predetermined outcome. The research found no significant examples of actions taken by officers from the camp commandant's office to keep more prisoners alive than the expectations set by the chief SS authorities in Berlin. This highlights their responsibility - emphasised Piotr Setkiewicz.
As Director Cywiński noted, the entire calendar is now available in Polish, and work is underway on an English translation. The development of a new chronology of events at Auschwitz will also facilitate the creation of a new monograph on the camp's history in the near future.
“The Chronicle of Events at KL Auschwitz” is available at the Museum's bookshops and online bookshop. Those who already own the first volume of this publication can purchase the four missing volumes. For inquiries, please contact us via email.
This publication was issued with the support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
The complete “Chronicle of Events at KL Auschwitz” has been published in a five-volume edition. Spanning 2,216 pages, this work meticulously details the daily operations of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp at Auschwitz. This unique publication stems from several years of thorough research and document analysis conducted by historians at the Museum Research Centre.
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A UNIQUE COMPENDIUM DOCUMENTING THE CRIMES
AT AUSCHWITZ DAY BY DAY