Auschwitz, the largest of the extermination camps, has become emblematic of the genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany against six million European Jews, including one million who perished at the site between 1940 and 1945, along with over 100,000 non-Jewish victims.
On Monday morning, Polish President Andrzej Duda honored the occasion by laying flowers at the site alongside survivors, some of whom donned scarves resembling the blue-and-white stripes of their camp uniforms.
Approximately 50 survivors are anticipated to attend the main commemoration at 1500 GMT outside the gates of Auschwitz II-Birkenau, joined by numerous dignitaries, including King Charles III of Britain and French President Emmanuel Macron.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz are also expected to be present, along with Israeli Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
“This year we will focus on the survivors and their message,” Auschwitz Museum spokesman Pawel Sawicki told AFP. “There will not be any speeches by politicians.”
In an interview with AFP prior to the anniversary, survivors from various parts of the globe emphasized the importance of commemorating the events of the past, especially as the number of living witnesses dwindles.
They expressed concerns regarding the increasing prevalence of hatred and anti-Semitism worldwide, voicing apprehensions about the potential for history to repeat itself. Organizers noted that this might be the final significant anniversary attended by such a substantial number of survivors.
“We all know that in 10 years it will not be possible to have a large group for the 90th anniversary,” Sawicki said.
‘Overcome hatred’
Auschwitz was established in 1940, utilizing barracks in Oswiecim, located in southern Poland.
The Nazis changed its name to Auschwitz. The first group of 728 Polish political prisoners arrived on June 14 of that same year.
As Soviet forces moved in on January 17, 1945, the SS forced 60,000 starving prisoners to march westward in what became known as the “Death March.” Between January 21 and 26, the Germans destroyed the gas chambers and crematoria at Birkenau before retreating as the Soviets closed in.
On January 27, Soviet troops arrived and found 7,000 survivors. The United Nations has designated this day as Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Until Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a Russian delegation had always participated in the annual liberation ceremony, but they will be excluded again this year.
In remarks for the anniversary, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky emphasized the need for the world to come together against evil.
“We must overcome the hatred that gives rise to abuse and murder. We must prevent forgetfulness. And it is everyone’s mission to do everything possible to prevent evil from winning,” he said.
There’s been quite a bit of buzz around the idea that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might show up at the ceremony.
This comes after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him last year, suspecting him of crimes against humanity and war crimes related to the conflict in Gaza.
However, after a request from Duda, the Polish government made it clear last month that they wouldn’t arrest Netanyahu if he decided to come, even though he hasn’t said he plans to attend.
‘Not forgotten’
Around 40 survivors from the Nazi camps decided to share their stories with AFP as the anniversary approached.
They gathered in 15 different countries, including Israel, Poland, Russia, Argentina, Canada, and South Africa, sitting in front of our cameras.
Some spoke alone, while others were joined by their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, showcasing their triumph over unimaginable evil.
“How did the world allow Auschwitz?” asked 95-year-old Marta Neuwirth from Santiago, Chile.
At the age of 15, she was deported from Hungary to the camp. Julia Wallach, nearing her 100th birthday, finds recounting these events emotionally overwhelming.
“It is too difficult to talk about, too hard,” she said. The Parisian was dragged off a lorry destined for the gas chamber in Birkenau at the last minute.
But hard as it is to relive the horrors, she insisted she would continue to give witness.
“As long as I can do it, I will do it.” Beside her, her granddaughter Frankie asked: “Will they believe us when we talk about this when she is not there?”
Esther Senot, 97, faced the harsh Polish winter last month to return to Birkenau alongside French high school students.
She was honoring a vow she made in 1944 to her sister Fanny, who, while lying on straw and coughing up blood, urged her with her final words to “share our story so that history doesn’t forget us.”