Pre-accreditation Information for Media Persons
  70th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz

The commemorative events for the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi German concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz will take place at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial on January 27, 2015. The events are organised by the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and the International Auschwitz Council under the honorary patronage of the Polish President Bronisław Komorowski. The most important guests of the event will be former prisoners of Auschwitz.

The main event will take place in a tent located in front of the main gate of the Birkenau camp. A Press Centre will be located near the tent. There will also be a car park for broadcast vehicles. All other cars may be parked near the Auschwitz I site; all journalists’ parking there will be transferred to the Press Centre. Accredited journalists will receive a map with all relevant places marked.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

January 26

Oświęcim, Book Gallery (Main Library - Nojego 2B Street) - meetings with former Auschwitz prisoners for journalists

- 11.00 a.m. - English
- 1.00 p.m. - (German, Russian, Polish, English (to be confirmed...)
- 3.00 p.m. - Polish

The meetings will provide an opportunity to record short interviews with these witnesses of history. These can be used, for example, as narration between the tent and the monument in Birkenau during the broadcast of the main event. On January 27 there may be no opportunity to talk with the survivors, since the access to the guest of the anniversary can be difficult due to the organizational issues. Therefore we encourage everyone to participate in the meeting on January 26.

January 27

9.30 a.m. - Wreath laying and candle lighting by former prisoners and the management and staff of the Auschwitz Memorial at the so-called Death Wall at Block 11 in Auschwitz I (accessible to accredited media)

11.00 a.m. - Mass at the Centre of Dialogue and Prayer (accessible to the accredited media)

3.30 - 5 p.m. - Main event inside the tent located in Birkenau (photo pool and official TVP broadcast - access to free TV signal produced by Polish Television will be available through the satellite. There will also be a limited access to the signal at the Press Centre)

5 p.m. - Lighting candles at the monument in Birkenau (photo pool and TV)

ACCREDITATION FOR THE MAIN EVENT

The accreditation process has been completed.

All accredited journalists will receive information pack with details of media activity during the 70th anniversary of liberation by January 23 the latest.

BROADCAST

The TV signal from the main event will be produced by Polish Television (TVP S.A). It will be available for all interested media for free through the satellite. There will be also a limited access to the signal at the press center. 
TVP contact (satellite signal): Grażyna Baczyńska +48 601 600 286 and Ewa Borkowska +48 22 547 4353 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Part of the event which will be taking place at the monument in Birkenau will be accessible for all interested television stations and photographers in a specially designated pool. There will also be TVP broadcast available in that area.

Details will be given later.

SHORT ANNIVERSARY VIDEO

The Museum provide a short, 30-sec video dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. It is available at the Auschwitz Memorial You Tube page:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVRMIid9Xiw 

The film can be used for free on-line as well as on TV. We encourage all media to use this possibility.

PARKING FOR BROADCAST VEHICLES AND JOURNALISTS

Accredited broadcast vehicles will be able to park in an area located by the Press Centre. All parking near the Auschwitz I site will be designated for all other journalist vehicles. After receiving accreditation, journalists will be transferred to the Press Centre.

CONTACT

Katarzyna Kolonko, Auschwitz Memorial Press Office
tel. + 48 33 844 81 45
+ 48 696 825 261
press [at] auschwitz.org