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Auction of Nazi documents in Neuss: outrage over commercial abuse!
The International Auschwitz Committee criticizes the planned auction of personal documents from Nazi victims in Neuss.
Auction of Nazi documents in Neuss: outrage over commercial abuse!
In a controversial move, the Felzmann auction house in Neuss is planning to auction off personal documents from Nazi victims next Monday. This auction, entitled “The System of Terror Vol. II 1933-1945”, includes, among other things, letters from concentration camps, Gestapo index cards and a Jewish star from the Buchenwald concentration camp with signs of wear. Amid widespread public criticism, the auction house has not yet commented on the allegations.
The International Auschwitz Committee (IAK) has vehemently criticized the planned auction. Executive Vice President Christoph Heubner describes the auction as a “cynical and shameless undertaking.” He emphasizes that the suffering of the people persecuted by the Nazis was being exploited for purely commercial reasons. The IAK demands that these sensitive documents not be displayed as commercial objects, but rather in museums or memorials in order to pay appropriate honor to the victims.
Call for the auction to be canceled
Heubner emphasizes that the documents of persecution and the Holocaust belong to the families of the persecuted and should not be used for commercial purposes. He urgently appeals to the auction house to cancel the auction. Such measures are the focus of a broad debate about the ethical responsibility when dealing with historical artifacts and personal memorabilia.
The planned auction not only attracts public attention, but also raises important questions about the descendants and dignity of the victims. The outsourcing of such documents to the commercial sector is seen by many as disrespectful and contradicts the appreciation of history and the events mentioned.
Complex perspectives on the Holocaust legacy
The edition, which shows the behavior of the perpetrators and the situation of the victims, meets the need for in-depth discussion and research into the history of the Holocaust. Experts such as Peter Black emphasize the selection of documents as extremely valuable when it comes to the history of European Jews. These perspectives illustrate how important it is to preserve the memory of the victims and to make many lost voices heard.
The upcoming auction in Neuss not only represents a scandalous abuse of suffering, but also confronts us with a central aspect of the culture of remembrance and history. It remains to be seen whether the auction house will respond to the complaints and what further steps will be taken to respect the dignity of the victims and the historical legacy.
For further information on the criticism of the auction and the historical review, those interested can read the report from vienna.at, Deutschlandfunk and the edition of Jewish documents IFZ Munich consult.