Auschwitz: artefacts as witness

More than one million people were murdered in Auschwitz. But they did not disappear without trace. Material evidence of their lives and these crimes still remain – objects as witness, each with a story to tell.

This talk for the Jewish Holocaust Centre in Melbourne reveals how a major new exhibition “Auschwitz: Not long ago Not far away” explores the history and significance of Auschwitz through hundreds of artefacts. We explore the challenges in curating a story of destruction; the emotional power of these objects; and examine why Auschwitz still matters today.