During the International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremonies, the group of survivors, accompanied by volunteers, moved in silence across the courtyard.
They placed candles and blue-and-white floral wreaths arranged in stripes, featuring a red triangle with the letter “P” - the symbol of Polish political prisoners who were imprisoned in German camps during the Second World War.
Some of the survivors wore scarves patterned in blue-and-white stripes, reminiscent of the striped uniforms worn by camp inmates.
Photo: PAP/Jarek Praszkiewicz
In a departure from tradition, politicians will not speak during the main ceremonies. Instead, the voices of former prisoners will take centre stage, including 97-year-old Bernard Offen, a survivor of five German concentration camps.
“For the first time in the history of these commemorations, previously recorded testimonies of Holocaust survivors will be presented extensively,” explained Piotr Cywiński, director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum Former German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp, in an interview with the national broadcaster Polish Radio.
Piotr Cywiński, front row, first from the right. Photo: PAP/Jarek Praszkiewicz
“This tradition will gradually evolve towards using what they told us in the past. It is an immense legacy, and it cannot remain hidden in archives or libraries. It must live, especially in the challenging times we face today,” he added.
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Source: Polish Radio/PR24/IAR