On Auschwitz

Paragraph 175 of the German Penal Code criminalized homosexual contacts between men. One possible punishment was imprisonment in a concentration camp. Also at Auschwitz, there was a small group of men convicted of homosexuality. Dr. Agnieszka Kita, deputy head of the Auschwitz Museum Archives, talks about the persecution of homosexual men in Nazi Germany and the postwar memory of their fate.English voiceover: Kate Weinrieb---Our online lesson about this group of prisoners of Auschwitz by Bogdan Piętka from the Research Center of the Auschwitz Museum.

The podcast delves into the harrowing accounts of the first transport of Poles to Auschwitz, revealing chilling testimonies from survivors about their brutal treatment. Listeners learn about the fierce resistance faced by these individuals under Nazi occupation and the traumatizing experiences during their journey to the camp. Life in quarantine is vividly described, showcasing the relentless cruelty and dehumanization prisoners endured. The stories emphasize the importance of solidarity among inmates as they navigated the grim realities of survival in such a horrific environment.

Block 10 at the Auschwitz I camp was the so-called experimental block. SS doctors conducted medical experiments there, including those focused on sterilization. Why was this particular block chosen for such experiments, who were the doctors working there, and what happened to their victims? These questions are explored by Teresa Wontor-Cichy from the Research Center of the Museum.Voiceover: Therese McLaughlin===== On-line lesson about medical crimes at Auschwitz: http://lekcja.auschwitz.org/2022_medycyna_en/

The Auschwitz camp did not have a homogeneous character and was constantly changing during its operation. Dr Jacek Lachendro of the Auschwitz Museum Research Centre talks about what everyday life was like for Auschwitz prisoners, from the morning roll-call, through the hunger that accompanied them all the time, to working beyond their strength. Voiceover:  Ian Manger, Tom VamosIf you find value in the "On Auschwitz" podcast, please consider subscribing on your favorite platform, leaving a rating to help others discover the podcast, and sharing it on social media. Your support makes a difference.

The Auschwitz Memorial covers nearly 200 hectares of land and includes about 300 ruins and 155 buildings, but also a huge number of historical objects, primary traces of Victims of Auschwitz: shoes, suitcases, brushes, or kitchen utensils. Nel Jastrzębiowska and Andrzej Jastrzębiowski from the Conservation Laboratories of the Auschwitz Museum explain how these priceless items are preserved and talk about the philosophy of conservation of the Memorial today. =====We wish to thank Kate Weinrieb, Greg Littlefield, and Mike Skagerlind, who recorded the voiceover for this podcast.If you find value in the "On Auschwitz" podcast, please consider subscribing on your favorite platform, leaving a rating to help others discover the podcast, and sharing it on social media. Your support makes a difference.

Holocaust denial is nothing more than a conspiracy theory built on lies and hatred. Although it resembles flat-Earth claims in its approach to facts, it is, in reality, a dangerous and vile vehicle for antisemitism and hatred. Deniers ignore or manipulate facts solely to attack the memory of the Victims.Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz and Dr. Igor Bartosik delve into the strategies employed by Holocaust deniers to spread misinformation and falsehoods about the history of Auschwitz. ---We wish to thank Greg Littlefield, Mike Skagerlind, and Grey Stafford, who recorded the voiceover for this podcast.

Some 7,500 prisoners of the German Nazi camp Auschwitz, including over 500 children, were liberated on January 27, 1945 by Red Army soldiers. Listen about the last days of the camp's operation and the moment of liberation. The podcast includes testimonies of: Anna Tytoniak Kazimierz Smoleń Lea Shinar Irena Konieczna Józef Tabaczyński Wanda Błachowska-Tarasiewicz Louis Posner Jakub Wolman Zofia Jankowska-Palińska Anna Chomicz Zofia Lutomska-Kucharska Wanda Dramińska Edward Czempiel Jakub Gordon Andrzej Kozłowski Tadeusz Mleko Garnier (first name unknown) Alfred Fiderkiewicz Aleksander Vorontsov Wilhelm Wazdrąg  ===== (English voiceovers: Mary Castillo, Toon Dreessen, Greg Littlefield, Ian Manger, Therese McLaughlin, Calum Melville, Mike Skagerlind, Grey Stafford, Michael Takiff, Tom Vamos, Kate Weinrieb, Sarah Weinstein Edwards).

Dr. Jacek Lachendro, an expert from the Auschwitz Museum's Research Center, delves deep into the haunting history of Soviet prisoners of war at the camp. He highlights that nearly 15,000 soldiers faced brutal selection processes and inhumane conditions, resulting in staggering mortality rates. The podcast also discusses Operation Zeppelin, where these POWs were exploited for sabotage, and the post-war stigma they endured in the Soviet Union. Lachendro's insights reveal the complex and tragic fates of those caught in this dark chapter of history.

Upon admission to the camp, prisoners underwent a registration process, during which various documents related to the individual were filled out. Dr. Wojciech Płosa, head of the Auschwitz Museum Archives, talks about the details of this process. We wish to thank Toon Dressen for recording the English voiceover.

Josef Mengele was a doctor of medicine and philosophy, an assistant to Prof. Otmar von Verschuer in the Institute for Hereditary Biology and Racial Hygiene in Frankfurt, member of the Nazi Party and the SS. In Auschwitz, he was the chief physician in the Roma and Sinti Family Camp in Birkenau, and from August to December 1944, he was also the chief physician of the entire Birkenau camp. Mengele was responsible for the experiments on human heredity. He was never punished for his crimes. Dr Agnieszka Kita from the Archives of the Muzeum talks about Josef Mengele.  English voiceover: Therese McLaughlin --- Online lesson on medicine in Auschwitz: https://lekcja.auschwitz.org/2022_medycyna_en/ Listen to the podcast about medicine in Auschwitz: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2s2Jb91u55L6s80XUlq5JW?si=8kHYPgQXS1mIwabnrRaNqg The podcast on experiments: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Ij4icZ6kicc96gWL3f3y0?si=_VwpbejMRiOOhvmIxmBdUA