Everything is disturbing in this extraordinary documentary, Auschwitz in 33 Objects (History Channel), which uses elements of the most famous, terribly famous, Nazi death camp (actually a mixed labor and death camp complex) to explain the history, operation and immense human Tragedy of the place, main symbol of the Holocaust. One has never seen Auschwitz like this. The aerial photographs taken with drones, moving with the solemn slowness of ash in the air, allow us a very complete and overwhelming idea of the extent of the Auschwitz-Birkenau double camp, its size and the various spaces of (semi) life and death ( more than a million people were murdered, 90% Jews). The 33 objects chosen to narrate the camp, which is now the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, bring the narrative to the concrete and material, at times intimate, of horror. The object thing is a common storytelling formula that’s often used in books, but works here with tremendous emotional impact. Stories like the one about the doll, the door of one of the gas chambers (the only one that survives), the thermos that one of the members of the Sonderkommando made out of prisoners who carried the bodies and then got rid of them themselves, the camp orchestra’s baton with Traces of blood or the SS doctors’ autopsy table are the kind that can only be stopped by gnashing your teeth and breathing heavily.
To highlight one terrifying moment in all documentary series (in five chapters), the extraordinary – it’s the first time a television crew has accessed it – a visit to the true Ground Zero of the Holocaust: despite the fact that the SS The camp’s most notorious testimony, the four large gas chambers of Birkenau and the adjoining crematoria are preserved underground under the ruins of the sinister buildings, remains of the pavement of one, II. Tens, hundreds of thousands of people were tortured to death and gassed on the ground of this cruel place, which normally cannot be visited.
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Despite the harsh and stark nature of the subject matter, the series opts for a calm tone, escaping any form of sensationalism. The focus on the objects allows the historians and curators of the museum, which is both a research center and a place of remembrance, to take center stage. His scientific language (although it often shows tremendous emotion) and his explanations on the preservation of those elements that witnessed the story, such as a can of Zyklon B or a 4-year-old child’s shoe, help to make this experience less tiring Visit Auschwitz. There are also some adventure stories (the escape of four prisoners in an SS van in Nazi uniforms, narrated by a car license plate; the famous boxer who KO’d a guard in a fight, narrated with his boxing gloves) and deserved punishment: the execution of the Commander Höss from the gallows from which he was hung. The use of cartoons in xylography stands out, serving the live reconstruction of scenes from the history of the camp, offering a more serious and sober alternative to the usual dramatizations.
Entrance to the Auschwitz camp.
“It is difficult to say which of the 33 selected objects is the most emotional,” Marek Zajak, chairman of the board of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, screenwriter and one of the experts appearing in the documentary, tells this newspaper. “But if I had to choose just one, I would point to the door to the gas chamber. It is kept in a special nitrogen-filled cabinet to preserve it for future generations. It’s terrifying what this door has seen. I remember the time when the curators locked the door of the showcase. It was late, maybe even night. One of the curators gave me gloves and said, “You have one last chance to touch it before it’s sealed. I put on the gloves and suddenly dozens of images popped up in my head. Whole Jewish families are dying, little children, women… people are dying in terrible agony, knocking on that door… banging their fists on the wooden planks hoping they will be saved… And I withdrew my hand. I couldn’t knock on the door and it has to stay that way. I am sure that our story in the documentary about this gas chamber door will not leave anyone indifferent.”
Zajac emphasizes that in 33 objects Auschwitz responds to the need to find new ways to explain the field to new times and generations. “This is very important, young people have grown up in a very different world, the digital world, the world of social networks and short videos on Instagram. They have a different perception and sensitivity, a different knowledge and memory than their parents and grandparents. Also, sadly, the time is approaching when there will be no more survivors and witnesses. Our documentary series is based on a unique collaboration between the Polsat TV channel and the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum in collaboration with the production company Inbornmedia. And it is our common goal to master these challenges. That is why we have combined different elements in an innovative way. The focus is on the 33 selected objects from the museum’s collection, including some that are not shown to visitors.
Door of one of the gas chambers of Auschwitz, preserved in the camp museum.
“Each element,” he continues, “shows an important aspect of the camp’s history: little-known facts about the Holocaust or its perpetrators, Auschwitz’s beginnings as a camp especially for Polish political prisoners, the fate of gypsies or prisoners of war, Soviets, and many other topics . Second, we combine these objects with the stories of the survivors, which we often illustrate with animation. And third: We show the fascinating work of the museum team, historians and curators, archive and collection technicians. They all, like detectives – often using the latest technologies – discover secrets and riddles hidden under the objects. By analyzing seemingly inconspicuous details, they bring exciting human stories to light. In this way, anonymous victims of mass murders learn their identities, names, surnames and faces. And decades later, they can tell the world the story of their lives and deaths.”
The documentary addresses the specific conservation problems that come with such unique objects as those at Auschwitz… “Just as Auschwitz-Birkenau is no ordinary museum, the conservation at this site is something absolutely unique. That is why, over the years, the museum’s director, Rafal Pioro, has built up one of the best teams of its kind in the world, working in one of the most modern laboratories. First of all, the Auschwitz conservators follow a very different logic than usual. They do not restore objects to their original state. They don’t rebuild anything. They try to keep objects and buildings in their original condition to ensure their authenticity. If they keep a suitcase stolen from the victims by the SS, they leave behind all the damage, as they are proof that the luggage (of which the museum keeps around 3,800) was searched for money and valuables. They try to preserve even the remnants of mud or moss in the trunks, as they are evidence that after the death of their owners for a long time they lay in the open and were thrown to the ground. Conservators had to develop new and unique conservation methods. “We know how to care for the sculptures in a Gothic cathedral, but no one has ever kept… toothbrushes. Here they are valuable evidence of a crime and often the only trace of the life and death of their owners. They are treated as relics and kept with great care. Finally, the Auschwitz restorers take care of objects, buildings and ruins. But it’s not just about material things, it’s about people. Conservatives also care about the stories of the victims and the perpetrators.”
Rails lead to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Oswiecim, Poland Czarek Sokolowski (AP)
Marek Zajak reminds that more than 200 survivors from all over the world took part in the 75th anniversary of the camp’s liberation in 2020. “Witnesses are and remain the most important reference point for telling the story of Auschwitz and the Holocaust. Over the years they have gone to great lengths to leave memories, stories, books, interviews and recordings. It’s an invaluable resource. However, that doesn’t change the fact that when there are no more witnesses, a complex challenge ensues. It won’t be easy, but we have to look for new ways of explaining it.”
One of the challenges for the Auschwitz Museum and Memorial is to preserve its human and even spiritual significance in the face of the pressure and resilience of mass tourism. How to balance the intimate emotional experience of visiting the countryside and museum with the crowd? “On the one hand, we have to congratulate ourselves that so many people from all over the world want to visit Auschwitz and experience the real place. On the other hand, of course, there are problems. First of all, the museum should limit the number of visitors to ensure the protection of people and objects. But I assure you that everyone can experience Auschwitz in peace. It is often enough to go there during the week and not at the weekend. A fantastic phenomenon is student groups, young people who come early. You can witness encounters with survivors, visit archives and read testimonials.”
The chairman of the council of the camp foundation does not consider the attempts to approach Auschwitz and the Holocaust from literary and cinematic fiction to be very successful. “With few exceptions, most novels and films are hurtful, vulgar, and distasteful. They propagate a false view of history. Unfortunately, many of these works are very popular. They are money machines, but they hurt and insult memory. They are often presented under phrases such as “based on facts”. But many of its authors have never contacted the museum, never visited its archives… Undoubtedly, the truth is more interesting. Our documentary is the best proof that life and history wrote the best screenplays and that true stories are the most exciting and emotional.”
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