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History

The International Auschwitz Committee was founded in 1952 by survivors of the concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau with the following aims:

• to let the world know what happened in the concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau;
• to look after the interests of the survivors;
• to encourage and support the contacts between the national Auschwitz committees.

In the context of the increasing manifestations of discrimination, racism and anti-semitism, and in particular the growing denial of what happened in Auschwitz, the General Assembly of the International Auschwitz Committee decided in 1992 to afford the opportunity of membership to all organizations which work with commitment to give “Auschwitz” an important place in the moral and political debate and in the education of the younger generations. At the same time the Board was also expanded to include younger members, besides the camp survivors.
Today many organizations from 19 different countries are affiliated to the International Auschwitz Committee. All of them include youth education among their activities.

… People must realize that the defeat of the Third Reich in no way signifies the disappearance of the Nazi ideology; and that there are still fascist and neo-Nazi movements, associations and parties which are ready and willing to bring new disaster on mankind.

Baron Maurice Goldstein, speaking as President of the International Auschwitz Committee, in Birkenau on 27 January 1995, at the ceremony on the occasion of the 5oth anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.)

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