Warsaw Voice - Oświęcim - The City of Peace

19 July 2006

"You can die several times, but you live only once."
Prof. Józef Szajna

Janusz Marszałek, Mayor of Oświęcim
Despite the many years that have passed, the former concentration camp KL Auschwitz is still a dividing line in the history of humanity. It is not only the greatest example of genocide and a criminally racist policy; it is primarily a warning for contemporary generations. While remembering the countless Jewish victims, as well as tens of thousands of Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war and representatives of other nationalities who perished in KL Auschwitz, we wonder how that could have happened, and we appeal to leaders of states and nations: Never again! Let the sacrifice of KL Auschwitz raise in the citizens of the world the will to live in peace and brotherhood!
And this is not just a slogan. This was the dream of the people imprisoned in the death camps. That is why we can never forget about this tragedy, and we must teach others about it, so that it never happens again. Of course, we realize that the idea behind the creation of KL Auschwitz did not disappear at the moment of the camp's liberation on Jan. 27, 1945. There are still attempts to relativize this story, to distort or even deny it completely. For the contemporary world, the attitude towards Auschwitz is a kind of litmus test-a test of humanity.
Each of us is different, has a different approach to faith, has different points of view and expresses different opinions, but in order to fulfill the noble idea of Prof. Józef Szajna we should unite and reconcile. I encourage all the Good-Hearted People to join the noble idea of building the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation in Oświęcim-the City of Peace.

The initiative of building the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation
The project was initiated by former prisoners from the first transport to KL Auschwitz who are also the founders and members of the Christian Association of Auschwitz Families. The organization includes many former prisoners, families of former prisoners and of the camp's victims, as well as people interested in Auschwitz.
The main tasks of the Christian Association of Auschwitz Families include ensuring the reliability of historical information on Auschwitz, honoring the memory of victims of the camp, care for former prisoners, and education of young people.

On the 60th anniversary of the first deportation to KL Auschwitz, on June 14, 2000, His Excellency Bishop Tadeusz Rakoczy consecrated a paving stone from the prison in Tarnów as the cornerstone for the construction of the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation.

To former prisoners, the Mound's construction is a testament to posterity, bringing a message of reconciliation for world peace. In Poland, a monument is often created in the form of a memorial mound, in homage to those in whose memory it is built. In this way, former KL Auschwitz prisoners and the persons committed to the initiative want to commemorate all the victims of the extermination-Jews, Poles, Roma, Russians and those of other nations-who died in KL Auschwitz at the hands of the Nazis.
The Mound will be a symbol of memory, reflection and meditation, uniting the people and the nations of the world to build a life in peace.

Prof. Józef Szajna spoke these words to young people:
"I do not want to tell you what you should do and how. We all risked our lives for freedom. We found ourselves on this road because life is a road that you walk along. And we learned that you can die several times but you live only once. Life is not easy, and it's not meant to be easy. You have to fight for life, each of you in their own way. And you also have to fight with yourselves, to bring the best out of you. My dear friends, you live in a time of freedom. The choice is yours. Choose what you believe in."

The Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation will be built between the former concentration camps KL Auschwitz and KL Auschwitz II Birkenau. The idea to build the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation was initiated in 1994 by Prof. Józef Szajna, a former prisoner of KL Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Three years ago the idea was approved by the International Auschwitz Council. The concept is also backed by the Council for the Remembrance of Struggle and Martyrdom and the Małopolska provincial governor.

The Mound will be in the shape of a truncated cone, about 30 meters tall, and respecting the will of former prisoners, it will be located opposite the building of the so-called "Old Theater" on Leszczyńska Street in Oświęcim.

The Oświęcim City Office has opened a special bank account to which all donations are welcome, from private individuals, organizations, institutions or companies that support the idea of building the Mound of Remembrance and Reconciliation.