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On Auschwitz

On Auschwitz

By: Auschwitz Memorial
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 The official podcast of the Auschwitz Memorial. The history of Auschwitz is exceptionally complex. It combined two functions: a concentration camp and an extermination center. Nazi Germany persecuted various groups of people there, and the camp complex continually expanded and transformed itself. In the podcast "On Auschwitz," we discuss the details of the history of the camp as well as our contemporary memory of this important and special place. We kindly ask you to support our mission and share our podcast in social media. Online lessons: http://lesson.auschwitz.orgAuschwitz Memorial World
Episodes
  • "On Auschwitz" (70): Deportations of Jews from Slovakia

    "On Auschwitz" (70): Deportations of Jews from Slovakia
    Mar 26 2026

    Among the many groups of people deported to the German camp Auschwitz, Slovakian Jews occupied a special place. They were brought to the camp at a time when it was undergoing fundamental, organizational and functional transformation. From a place of concentration and gradual destruction of prisoners through dramatic living conditions and hard labor to a center of mass extermination in gas chambers. Dr. Piotr Setkiewicz, the head of the research center of the Auschwitz Museum, recounts the details of this process.

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    On-line lesson about the deportations of Jews from Slovakia
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    41 mins
  • "On Auschwitz" (69): Contacts between SS garrison of KL Auschwitz and the local population of the Oświęcim area (1940-45)

    "On Auschwitz" (69): Contacts between SS garrison of KL Auschwitz and the local population of the Oświęcim area (1940-45)
    Feb 9 2026

    How the demographic structure of the area around the camp changed and what contacts existed between the SS camp garrison members and the local civilian population is discussed by dr. Agnieszka Kita, deputy head of the Auschwitz Museum archives.

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    Article published in the post-conference publication, "Face of War", Vol. 6, "City and the War".
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    51 mins
  • "On Auschwitz" (68): Evacuation marches in the accounts of Survivors and other witnesses

    "On Auschwitz" (68): Evacuation marches in the accounts of Survivors and other witnesses
    Jan 17 2026

    On 17 January 1945, the SS began evacuating the Auschwitz camp. Around 56,000 men and women, prisoners under the escort of armed SS men, marched out from various parts ofthe camp complex in the direction of Wodzisław Śląski and Gliwice. Several thousand people were killed during these so-called Death Marches.

    In this episode of the “On Auschwitz” podcast, we quote fragments of eyewitness accounts relating to these events.

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    Illustration:

    Zbigniew Otfinowski, Marsz ewakuacyjny [Evacuation march] (1946). Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum Collections

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    Excerpts from accounts read by narrators (Therese McLaughlin & Mike Skagerlind) come from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum Archives:

    Teofil Balcarek, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements],t. 115, k. 204-205.

    Israel Berkowski, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 35, k. 29.

    Wanda Bienioszek, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 116, s. 176.

    Wanda Błachowska-Tarasiewicz, APMAB, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 1, k. 19-20.

    Józef Ciepły, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.86, k. 48, 127-128.

    Jan Dziopek, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.10, k. 29.

    Jan Dziopek, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 50, k. 138-143

    Róża Dryjańska, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t.88, k. 211, 233.

    Ilona Engelova, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 80, k. 171.

    Abraham Dawid Feffer, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 16, k. 54.

    Jan Gabryś, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.104, k. 138-140.

    Janina Hinczowa, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 62, k. 60.

    Irena Konieczna, APMAB. Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements],t. 113, k. 130.

    Wanda Koprowska, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 13, k. 66-68.

    Eulalia Kurdej, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.66, k. 142.

    Erwin Olszówka, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 72, k. 138.

    Antonina Piątkowska, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 85, k. 45

    Franciszka Pieczka, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 88b, k. 133.

    Ilona Strusińska, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements],t. 80, k. 170.

    Marii Śleziona, APMAB. Inne Zespoły [Others] (IZ) – 27/3.

    Maria Ślisz, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.61, k. 134.

    Zofia Stępień-Bator, APMAB, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 74, k. 167.

    Maria Świderska, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 21, k. 85, 88.

    Józef Tabaczyński, APMAB, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 44, k. 60-63.

    Anna Tytoniak, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t.12a, k. 198

    Jan Wawrosz, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories]t. 1, k. 59.

    Franciszek Wieszała, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 16, k. 81.

    Helena Włodarska, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 66, k. 78.

    Jadwiga Zając, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 139, k. 13-15.

    Leszek Zienc, APMA-B, Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 2, k. 226.

    Natan Żelechower, „Siedem obozów”, [in:] Zespół Wspomnienia [Memories], t. 83, k. 68-72, APMA-B.

    Maria Żumańska, APMA-B, Zespół Oświadczenia [Statements], t. 4, k. 420.
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    28 mins
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After watching ‘Zone of Interest’ I wanted to find out more. This podcast gives an amazing and heartbreaking insight into life in the camps. There is a good balance of historical information as well as personal accounts of people who were imprisoned there

Very informative and interesting

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a very well presented podcast covering specific aspects of Auschwitz, using both personal accounts and historical documents. Very informative and very moving without being at all sentimental or sensationalist.

Excellent podcast

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