Auschwitz, Poland, and the politics of commemoration, 1945-1979

A history of the Auschwitz memorial site, which in 1947 became the Polish State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau. Throughout 1945-79 the memory and meaning of Auschwitz and even its landscape were constructed and modified in accordance with the cultural imperatives and political exigencies of postwar Poland. Insofar as in the People's Republic Auschwitz came to symbolize Polish national martyrdom, the narrative of the Nazi genocide of Jews was neglected. Despite the steady internationalization of the Auschwitz site after 1955, in part due to pressure by the International Auschwitz Committee, the Holocaust continued to be marginalized in the Museum's exhibits and at memorial ceremonies, which can be accounted for by Polish official antisemitism at that time. The epilogue (pp. 227-245), "Poland and Auschwitz in the 1980s, " discusses transformations which occurred at this time, including views on Polish-Jewish relations in the 20th century. Maintains that various collective memories compete in Auschwitz, and any attempt to cultivate a single memorial narrative dishonors the memory of countless victims and survivors, and distorts Auschwitz's history. Includes bibliographical references (pages 293-315) and index. xxvi, 326 pages : illustrations, maps ; 24 cm.