Who we are

“The fates of Hans and Berthold Finkelstein show the horrors that the Nazis brought upon people. It is our duty to prevent indifference through factual research. The more stories we tell, the more details we know, and the more we will be able to better remember to do our part so that history cannot be repeated.” 
 
Piotr Setkiewicz was born in 1963 and currently serves as the director of the Research Center at the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Oświęcim (Auschwitz), Poland. He studied history in Kraków and earned his Ph.D. for his research work on the I.G. Farben plant in Auschwitz. Setkiewicz is the head historian at the Auschwitz Museum and editor-in-chief of the scientific publication “The Auschwitz Journals” (Zeszyty Oświęcimskie). Setkiewicz has been awarded several Polish state honors for his work - the Silver Cross of Merit, the Medal for Merit to Culture “Gloria Artis”, the Silver Medal “Guardian of National Memorials” and the Silver Medal for Long Service. 
 
Dedication beyond duty 
Piotr Setkiewicz has spent his entire career conducting research on the Holocaust. His contributions to continuously shedding light on the crimes and system of the Nazis and educating people on both of these has been a pillar of remembrance. His work and knowledge on the beginnings of Auschwitz, the employment of forced and slave laborers in German industry and the history of the Auschwitz sub-camps have deepened our understanding and help ensure that the memory of those who suffered and died in the camp is never forgotten.  
 
Establishing facts as a foundation of remembrance 
Even today, research on Auschwitz is uncovering new information about the camp’s operations. Finding and understanding every detail of what exactly happened in the largest German complex of concentration and extermination camps is a continuous process. As the culture of remembrance evolves, we need to join efforts to improve our understanding of the horrors of the Third Reich and how they came about, to strengthen the ability of society to never forget. 
 
A space for research 
As an advocate for the importance of research of the Third Reich and its consequences, education and remembrance, Piotr Setkiewicz will help to create a space within the Hans and Berthold Finkelstein Foundation for survivors and their descendants to share their stories.