Auschwitz issues another reminder on memorial etiquette after latest viral photo from tourist
The Auschwitz Memorial Museum is reminding people on how to conduct themselves when visiting the site after a viral photo showed someone posing for a picture at the concentration camp.
A Twitter user posted a picture Saturday of someone sitting and posing on the railroad tracks, which were used to transport Jewish people to the site during the Holocaust, as another person took a picture with their phone.
"Today I had one of the most harrowing experiences of my life," the Twitter user said. "Regrettably it didn’t seem everyone there found it quite so poignant."
The photo was widely shared throughout Twitter, with over 30 million views.
'Respect their memory'
Auschwitz Memorial Museum responded to the photo Sunday, saying "pictures can hold immense emotional and documentation value for visitors" and images help remember.
"Visitors should bear in mind that they enter the authentic site of the former camp where over 1 million people were murdered. Respect their memory," the museum said.
Pictures can hold immense emotional & documentation value for visitors. Images help us remember.
When coming to @AuschwitzMuseum visitors should bear in mind that they enter the authentic site of the former camp where over 1 million people were murdered. Respect their memory.— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) April 16, 2023
Past reminders
This isn't the first time the museum has reminded people about behavior when at the site in Poland.
In 2019, Auschwitz Memorial posted pictures of people walking on the railroad track, reminding people it is the location where over 1 million people were killed.
"Respect their memory. There are better places to learn how to walk on a balance beam than the site which symbolizes deportation of hundreds of thousands to their deaths," the museum said.
When you come to @AuschwitzMuseum remember you are at the site where over 1 million people were killed. Respect their memory. There are better places to learn how to walk on a balance beam than the site which symbolizes deportation of hundreds of thousands to their deaths. pic.twitter.com/TxJk9FgxWl
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) March 20, 2019
The museum shares the stories of thousands of people that were held as prisoners at the concentration camp, but the museum's staff will not hesitate to call out instances of people promoting the site for personal use.
Earlier this month, WWE received backlash for using an image of Auschwitz during a promo for its flagship event, WrestleMania. The museum called it "shameless and insults the memory of all victims of Auschwitz." The company later issued an apology, saying it "had no knowledge of what was depicted."
"As soon as we learned, it was removed immediately,” WWE said in a statement.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Auschwitz Memorial reminds people about behavior following viral photo
