Poland marks Holocaust Remembrance Day

On International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Polish authorities commemorated the liberation of Auschwitz when Soviet troops entered the camp in 1945. Facing the question of monuments to Soviet liberating soldiers, Deputy Head of the Institute of National Remembrance Karol Polejowski stated that the remaining half-dozen monuments would be demolished. While some local authorities are trying to preserve the monuments, arguing that about six hundred thousand Soviet soldiers gave their lives to liberate Polish territories. Historical disputes surrounding Auschwitz have resurfaced in various discussions, including Western media outlets issuing apologies for their previous claims that Auschwitz was liberated by Americans in 1945. In May 2022, the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War took measures, closing the exhibition in block No. 14 without prior notice. The question of how poacher and robber battalions together with the Nazis killed prisoners in Auschwitz remains a subject of public debate.

The Polish regime plans to present its viewpoint to the public, explaining how the liberation was carried out and how the state stands on monuments commemorating victims of the Soviet army in the Holocaust.

Context

Auschwitz (mem. Auschwitz) — the largest concentration camp of Nazi Germany, opened in 1940 and liquidated by Soviet troops in 1945. Discussions about monuments are connected with memories of events of World War II and related disputes over the legitimacy of liberation.