Alex Jung
2025 marks 80 years since the end of the Holocaust; harmful social media trends around Poland's memorial sites greatly disrespect the 6 million Jewish victims.
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Paul Arps. CC BY 2.0.
The Holocaust remains a traumatic and disturbing event in global history. Poland, where many concentration and extermination camps were established during the Second World War, aimed to protect and promote the legacy of the victims of the Holocaust by making memorial sites and museums open to the public. In 2023, 1.67 million people visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum, showing the widespread empathy and compassion of many travelers.
However, on several social media platforms, there has been controversy regarding actions and videos at Holocaust memorial sites in Poland. There have been numerous videos by users on the social platform TikTok, where they have been pretending to be Jewish victims during the Second World War. Some users have uploaded videos role-playing as young Jewish victims, and some have included fake bruises while wearing striped outfits that depict the clothing the prisoners wore in concentration camps. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum responded to the TikTok videos, claiming, "The 'victims' trends on TikTok can be hurtful and offensive.”
TikTok blocked all users from being able to view or search for the trend that often went under the tag #HolocaustChallenge. The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum viewed these videos as an opportunity to educate the youth and the public about the Holocaust. Despite controversial actions, many museums and memorial sites have remained open for the public.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial
Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. Szymon Kaczmarczyk. CC BY 3.0.
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial site has been open to the public since 1947. The museum protects historical artifacts and locations, including 155 buildings, 300 ruins and 3,600 concrete fence posts, to commemorate the Holocaust. Due to the high-demand nature of the memorial site, travelers must reserve a ticket. Additionally, the only legitimate reservations can be made through the official Auschwitz-Birkenau museum website. It is also recommended that all travelers and visitors be over the age of 14 due to the sensitive and often disturbing nature of the site.
Warsaw Uprising Museum
Warsaw Uprising Museum. Adrian Grycuk. CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum is located in Wola, Warsaw. This museum commemorates the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, which was recorded as the largest effort by the Polish resistance movement to protest against the German occupation. The exhibit spans many floors, including many interactive displays, testimonies and written accounts of the Warsaw Uprising. The museum is conveniently located, as it is only a 23-minute drive from the Warsaw Chopin Airport.
Museum of the History of Polish Jews
Museum of the History of Polish Jews. Wojciech Krynski. CC BY-SA 3.0.
The Museum of the History of Polish Jews (POLIN) is located in the former Warsaw Ghetto, a place where many Polish Jews lived during the Holocaust. Unlike many other Second World War museums, POLIN has exhibitions of Polish Jews spanning from the Middle Ages to today. The Museum is best known for its Core Exhibition, which has many interactive installations and models. Many Jewish scholars, rabbis and merchants often come to POLIN to speak and share their experiences.
Ultimately, ethical historical tourism can be an empowering method of commemorating the tragedies of the Holocaust. Many travelers can respectfully and compassionately engage with the history and victims in Poland.
Alex Jung
Alex is from New Zealand and South Korea, and is currently a student at the University of Chicago. He is majoring in Political Science and International Relations, and minoring in Middle Eastern Studies. He is passionate about social justice for minorities and indigenous communities. In his free time, he enjoys learning languages (Korean, English, Mandarin, and Persian) and writing novels and short stories.