death on this document is fraudulent. The documentation states that the cause of death was attributed to severe exhaustion. This is more likely to occur in an octogenarian than in a seven-year-old. However, our knowledge of his actual life is limited, and the available information is derived solely from this fabricated document,’ he stated.
‘Every year, we revisit this place, fully aware that our world is not perfect. People are increasingly judged based on their origin, religion, or the colour of their passport. In our Europe, equality under the law tends to decrease as one approaches national borders. This is a well-known fact. And we are creating various institutional, cultural, and social ghettos,’ said Piotr Cywiński.
‘What were the ideological causes of Harry Schmidt's death? That information is not present in this document. The events unfolding today are wrong and pose a significant danger. Public spaces are no longer safe. Hate and xenophobia-motivated attacks are becoming more frequent. If we do not wake up, I fear we will again create only false testimonies of death instead of true testimonies of life,’ he emphasized.
‘Auschwitz-Birkenau remains a stark lesson for all of humanity: we must always remain vigilant against persecution and discrimination. Today, as the memories of this crime become increasingly distant for younger generations, the importance of this lesson is greater than ever,” stated Martin Hojsík, Vice-President of the European Parliament.
At the end of the celebrations, wreaths were laid at the Roma and Sinti memorial.
On the day of the anniversary, the Museum released an academic monograph on the fate of the Roma and Sinti in the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz. Its authors are Piotr Setkiewicz, Slawomir Kapralski and Jerzy Dębski.
The history of the Roma victims of the camp is also explored by the online lesson "The Roma in Auschwitz", one of the episodes of the podcast "On Auschwitz", as well as the 7th volume of the educational series Voices of Memory. The Google Cultural Institute website also features an exhibition prepared by the Museum entitled “The Roma in Auschwitz”.
Block 13 at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum features an exhibition commemorating the extermination of the Roma and Sinti, demonstrating the unique dimension of the Nazi genocide perpetrated against the Roma in German-occupied Europe. The anniversary observances were held in front of the monument commemorating the Roma victims, located in section BIIe of the former Birkenau camp.
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