Advisory Council Meeting in Oświęcim
The Advisory Council of the Finkelstein Foundation met for the first time in Oświęcim, Poland.
At the invitation of Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz, Head of the Research Center at the Memorial and Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau and member of the Advisory Council, the focus was on visiting various locations in addition to the Advisory Council meeting.
The programme began with a tour of Auschwitz I concentration camp (the main camp) and the Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. From there, it is possible to see the chimneys of the former I.G. Farben factory, a striking reminder of the close connection between industrial exploitation and systematic extermination. A particular focus was placed on the little-known Auschwitz III/Monowitz camp, which remains a gap in the collective memory to this day. The camp was built on behalf of I.G. Farben.
The program also included access to an art exhibition not yet open to the public, featuring works by imprisoned artists, as well as insights into the museum's collection depot.
The joint examination of a place like Auschwitz in our Advisory Council sharpens our awareness of historical responsibility and strengthens our work against hatred, discrimination, and anti-Semitism.
