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'''Kazimierz Smoleń''', or ''Kazimierz Smolen'' (19 April 1920 &ndash; 27 January 2012),<ref>[http://www.jewish-guide.pl/news-from-galicia/67-kazmierz-smolen-the-former-prisoner-of-auschwitz-birkenau-number-1327-and-long-time-director-of-the-auschwitz-birkenau-museum-passed-away-on-january-27th-2012 Kazmierz Smoleń the former prisoner of Auschwitz-Birkenau number 1327, and long time director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum passed away on 27 January 2012]</ref> was a Polish political prisoner of the [[Nazi]] [[World War II]] [[KZ Auschwitz]] (Auschwitz concentration camp), and later a long-term director of [[Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum]].<ref name=WashPost>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/kazimierz-smolen-auschwitz-survivor-dies-on-anniversary-of-camps-liberation/2012/01/29/gIQAMdnpaQ_story.html ''Washington Post'': "Kazimierz Smoleń, Auschwitz survivor, dies on anniversary of camp's liberation"], 29 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.</ref>
'''Kazimierz Smoleń''' (19 April 1920 &ndash; 27 January 2012)<ref>[http://www.jewish-guide.pl/news-from-galicia/67-kazmierz-smolen-the-former-prisoner-of-auschwitz-birkenau-number-1327-and-long-time-director-of-the-auschwitz-birkenau-museum-passed-away-on-january-27th-2012 Kazmierz Smoleń the former prisoner of Auschwitz-Birkenau number 1327, and long time director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum passed away on 27 January 2012]</ref> was a Polish political prisoner of the [[Nazi]] [[World War II]] [[KZ Auschwitz]] (Auschwitz concentration camp), and later a long-term director of [[Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum]].<ref name=WashPost>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/kazimierz-smolen-auschwitz-survivor-dies-on-anniversary-of-camps-liberation/2012/01/29/gIQAMdnpaQ_story.html ''Washington Post'': "Kazimierz Smoleń, Auschwitz survivor, dies on anniversary of camp's liberation"], 29 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.</ref>

==Biography==
==Biography==
Smoleń was a law student when he was arrested by the [[Gestapo]] on 15 April 1940 for his activity in the Polish conspiracy in [[Chorzow]] and an attempt to join the Polish army abroad. On 6 July 1940 he was transported to Auschwitz concentration camp with one of the first transports of Polish political prisoners to arrive from prison in Sosnowiec.<ref name=Polska>[https://archive.today/20130416103710/http://www.polskatimes.pl/artykul/498862,zmarl-kazimierz-smolen-byly-wiezien-auschwitz-i-dyrektor,id,t.html?cookie=1 Zmarł Kazimierz Smoleń]</ref>
Smoleń was a law student when he was arrested by the [[Gestapo]] on 15 April 1940 for his activity in the Polish conspiracy in [[Chorzow]] and an attempt to join the Polish army abroad. On 6 July 1940 he was transported to Auschwitz concentration camp with one of the first transports of Polish political prisoners to arrive from prison in Sosnowiec.<ref name=Polska>[https://archive.today/20130416103710/http://www.polskatimes.pl/artykul/498862,zmarl-kazimierz-smolen-byly-wiezien-auschwitz-i-dyrektor,id,t.html?cookie=1 Zmarł Kazimierz Smoleń]</ref>


Smoleń was given the KZ Auschwitz number 1327, and at first was given work in the construction workgang; then he worked as a writer in the camp's administration office.<ref name=Polska/> Altogether Smoleń was an Auschwitz prisoner for almost five years.<ref name=WashPost/> On 18 January 1945 Smoleń was deported in one of Auschwitz [[death marches]] to [[Ebensee concentration camp]], a subcamp of [[Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp]].<ref name=Polska/> Smoleń was liberated in Ebensee concentration camp on 6 May 1945.<ref>[http://www.mixstory.de/zeitzeugenbericht-von-kasimierz-smolen.html MixStory: Zeitzeugenbericht von Kasimierz Smolen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414101956/http://www.mixstory.de/zeitzeugenbericht-von-kasimierz-smolen.html |date=2016-04-14 }} (in German)</ref><ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/ebensee.html Jewish Virtual Library: Ebensee (Austria). Mark Vadasz, 2012.]</ref>
Smoleń was given the KZ Auschwitz number 1327, and at first was given work in the construction workgang; then he worked as a writer in the camp's administration office.<ref name=Polska/> Altogether Smoleń was an Auschwitz prisoner for almost five years.<ref name=WashPost/> On 18 January 1945 Smoleń was deported in one of Auschwitz [[death marches]] to [[Wodzisław Śląski|Loslau]]<ref>http://cyra.wblogu.pl/siodma-rocznica-smierci-kazimierza-smolenia.html Siódma rocznica śmierci Kazimierza Smolenia.</ref> and then to [[Ebensee concentration camp]], a subcamp of [[Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp]].<ref name=Polska/> Smoleń was liberated in Ebensee concentration camp on 6 May 1945.<ref>[http://www.mixstory.de/zeitzeugenbericht-von-kasimierz-smolen.html MixStory: Zeitzeugenbericht von Kasimierz Smolen] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414101956/http://www.mixstory.de/zeitzeugenbericht-von-kasimierz-smolen.html |date=2016-04-14 }} (in German)</ref><ref>[https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/ebensee.html Jewish Virtual Library: Ebensee (Austria). Mark Vadasz, 2012.]</ref>


Smoleń came back to Poland after the war and studied law at the [[Catholic University of Lublin]].<ref name=Polska/> He was one of the creators of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, established in 1947. From 1955 till 1990 he served as the director of the Museum.<ref name=Polska/>
Smoleń came back to Poland after the war and studied law at the [[Catholic University of Lublin]].<ref name=Polska/> He was one of the creators of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, established in 1947. From 1955 till 1990 he served as the director of the Museum.<ref name=Polska/>


After the war he worked on the ''Commission to Investigate Nazi Crimes in Poland'' and participated as a witness and expert in trials of SS staff of [[Nazi concentration camps]]. After retirement, he was still devoted to education about Auschwitz, and worked witnessing about the camp's history to younger generations until his very last days.<ref name=Polska/> Smoleń died on 27 January 2012, aged 91, the day of the 67th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.<ref name=dailymail>[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092866/Auschwitz-survivor-Kazimierz-Smolen-91-dies-town-death-camp.html?ito=feeds-newsxml ''Daily Mail'' report on Smoleń's death in Oświęcim, 27 January 2012]</ref><ref>Obituary on BBC Radio 4's Last Word http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bmq2z#p00p89ss</ref>
After the war he worked on the ''Commission to Investigate Nazi Crimes in Poland'' and participated as a witness and expert in trials of SS staff of [[Nazi concentration camps]]. After retirement, he was still devoted to education about Auschwitz, and worked witnessing about the camp's history to younger generations until his very last days.<ref name=Polska/> Smoleń died on 27 January 2012, aged 91, the day of the 67th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.<ref>Obituary on BBC Radio 4's Last Word http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bmq2z#p00p89ss</ref>


==Bibliography==
==Bibliography==
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* [https://archive.today/20130416103710/http://www.polskatimes.pl/artykul/498862,zmarl-kazimierz-smolen-byly-wiezien-auschwitz-i-dyrektor,id,t.html?cookie=1 Polska Times: Zmarł Kazimierz Smoleń]
* [https://archive.today/20130416103710/http://www.polskatimes.pl/artykul/498862,zmarl-kazimierz-smolen-byly-wiezien-auschwitz-i-dyrektor,id,t.html?cookie=1 Polska Times: Zmarł Kazimierz Smoleń]
* [[:de:Kazimierz Smoleń|Wikipedia.de]] (in German)
* [[:de:Kazimierz Smoleń|Wikipedia.de]] (in German)
* [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092866/Auschwitz-survivor-Kazimierz-Smolen-91-dies-town-death-camp.html?ito=feeds-newsxml ''Daily Mail'' Smoleń's death in Oświęcim]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/28/world/europe/kazimierz-smolen-director-of-auschwitz-memorial-site-dies-at-91.html New York Times January 28, 2012]
* [https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/28/world/europe/kazimierz-smolen-director-of-auschwitz-memorial-site-dies-at-91.html New York Times January 28, 2012]
* [http://resources.ushmm.org/itsinventory/inventory1.php?Inventory__Id=534 US Holocaust Memorial Museum: Kazimierz Smolen archive (statement on Operation Zeppelin)]
* [http://resources.ushmm.org/itsinventory/inventory1.php?Inventory__Id=534 US Holocaust Memorial Museum: Kazimierz Smolen archive (statement on Operation Zeppelin)]
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[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing]]
[[Category:Auschwitz concentration camp survivors]]
[[Category:Auschwitz concentration camp survivors]]
[[Category:Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp survivors]]
[[Category:Mauthausen concentration camp survivors]]
[[Category:Disease-related deaths in Poland]]
[[Category:Polish activists]]
[[Category:Polish activists]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the 10th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Medal of the 40th Anniversary of the People's Republic of Poland]]

Latest revision as of 14:50, 24 February 2024

Kazimierz Smoleń (19 April 1920 – 27 January 2012)[1] was a Polish political prisoner of the Nazi World War II KZ Auschwitz (Auschwitz concentration camp), and later a long-term director of Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum.[2]

Biography

[edit]

Smoleń was a law student when he was arrested by the Gestapo on 15 April 1940 for his activity in the Polish conspiracy in Chorzow and an attempt to join the Polish army abroad. On 6 July 1940 he was transported to Auschwitz concentration camp with one of the first transports of Polish political prisoners to arrive from prison in Sosnowiec.[3]

Smoleń was given the KZ Auschwitz number 1327, and at first was given work in the construction workgang; then he worked as a writer in the camp's administration office.[3] Altogether Smoleń was an Auschwitz prisoner for almost five years.[2] On 18 January 1945 Smoleń was deported in one of Auschwitz death marches to Loslau[4] and then to Ebensee concentration camp, a subcamp of Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp.[3] Smoleń was liberated in Ebensee concentration camp on 6 May 1945.[5][6]

Smoleń came back to Poland after the war and studied law at the Catholic University of Lublin.[3] He was one of the creators of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, established in 1947. From 1955 till 1990 he served as the director of the Museum.[3]

After the war he worked on the Commission to Investigate Nazi Crimes in Poland and participated as a witness and expert in trials of SS staff of Nazi concentration camps. After retirement, he was still devoted to education about Auschwitz, and worked witnessing about the camp's history to younger generations until his very last days.[3] Smoleń died on 27 January 2012, aged 91, the day of the 67th Anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau.[7]

Bibliography

[edit]
  • Kazimierz Smoleń. Auschwitz, 1940-1945. Route Sixty Six Publishing, 1995.
  • K. Smoleń, translated by Stephen Lee. Auschwitz-Birkenau, State Museum in Oswiecim, Guide Book. Panstwowe Museum, 2007.
  • K. Smoleń. Selected Problems from the History of KL Auschwitz. Panstwowe Museum, 1979.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kazmierz Smoleń the former prisoner of Auschwitz-Birkenau number 1327, and long time director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum passed away on 27 January 2012
  2. ^ a b Washington Post: "Kazimierz Smoleń, Auschwitz survivor, dies on anniversary of camp's liberation", 29 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Zmarł Kazimierz Smoleń
  4. ^ http://cyra.wblogu.pl/siodma-rocznica-smierci-kazimierza-smolenia.html Siódma rocznica śmierci Kazimierza Smolenia.
  5. ^ MixStory: Zeitzeugenbericht von Kasimierz Smolen Archived 2016-04-14 at the Wayback Machine (in German)
  6. ^ Jewish Virtual Library: Ebensee (Austria). Mark Vadasz, 2012.
  7. ^ Obituary on BBC Radio 4's Last Word http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bmq2z#p00p89ss
[edit]
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