Tourists Face Criticism After Photo Shoot at Auschwitz Goes Viral
Footage of a group of tourists conducting a photo shoot at the entrance of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest of the former German Nazi concentration camps, has sparked public backlash.
The video, which was shared on TikTok on Sunday, shows a photo shoot taking place on the train tracks in front of the main gate of Auschwitz-Birkenau (more commonly known as Auschwitz) in southern Poland, an area which was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II.
@alojzy.nowak1 3 gwiazdy postanowiły zrobić sobie sesję zdjęciową w obozie Auschwitz #auschwitz #historia #pamięć #szacunek #polska ♬ suara asli – JamesSantigo – CAPCUT TEMPLATE
Auschwitz is considered Nazi Germany’s most notorious concentration and extermination camp, where over 1.1 million men, women and children lost their lives. It is now considered one of the most important Holocaust memorial sites. The train tracks outside Auschwitz were the place where thousands of people arrived by deportation trains during the Holocaust. The railway tracks were the final route taken by many victims of Nazi Germany’s mass murder.
In the footage, which has amassed 2.5 million views, a young woman is seen sitting on the tracks in front of Auschwitz’s main gate. She adjusts her hair and changes position while two other people take photographs of her. The video, which was shared by TikTok user Alojzy Nowak, is overlaid with the theme song from the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm seemingly to show how awkward the photo shoot at the Holocaust memorial site was.
According to Polish news outlet TVP World, many social media users accused the group of showing disrespect to victims by conducting a photo shoot at Auschwitz’s main gate.
“Thousands of people died after travelling along these tracks. Maybe one day that will sink in,” one Polish user writes.
Another Polish viewer called for monetary fines for tourists taking selfies and photos at Auschwitz, according to TVP World.
“There should simply be heavy fines for this,” the TikTok user writes. “Some may disagree, but this is about respect.”
There have previously been photo trends involving tourists using the railway tracks into Auschwitz as a balance beam to pose for pictures on social media. The Auschwitz Museum, which is located on the site of the former camp, has repeatedly reminded visitors to behave respectfully when taking photos there.
Beyond Auschwitz, the Zekelman Holocaust Center in Detroit rearranged its exhibit in 2024 to reduce opportunities for visitors to take Nazi-themed selfies. The Holocaust museum became concerned after students on school trips and other visitors took selfies with a Nazi officer’s uniform featuring a large red swastika.
Image creditsHeader photo (right) licensed via Depositphotos and (left) via TikTok/@alojzy.nowak1 .
