Preserving Heritage: The Next Phase of the Bunker of Memory Project in Oświęcim

The Jewish Museum Oshpitzin in Oświęcim is honoring the town’s former Jewish community through the Bunker of Memory Project.

Fragments of headstones destroyed during the Holocaust to construct a road to the Buna Werke factory— a part of the Auschwitz camp complex — are being placed in a concrete bunker at the historic cemetery, now a site for remembrance.

Since 2000, the museum has cared for the cemetery owned by the Jewish Religious Community in Bielsko-Biała. It houses around 1,000 preserved tombstones and remnants from World War II, including bunkers repurposed to educate visitors on Oświęcim’s multicultural heritage. The current phase, supported by descendants of former Jewish residents and volunteers from Austria, Germany, Ukraine, and the USA, places 20 tombstones on concrete pedestals, complemented by educational signage.

This initiative, backed by donors worldwide, commemorates the Jewish residents of Oświęcim and educates them about their history and culture, making the Bunker a lasting symbol of remembrance. The project will continue in the coming years, further enriching this space for education and reflection.