Fonds of the International Auschwitz Committee

Collection description

Holding institution (official language):: Stichting Auschwitz - vzw Auschwitz in gedachtenis

Reference number:: AuschF-Brussels-Bestand van het Internationaal Auschwitz Comité

Creator/accumulator:: International Auschwitz Committee; Comité International d’Auschwitz; Internationaal Auschwitz Comité

Scope and content:: The documents from this fonds were assembled by Maurice Goldstein, president of the IAC from 1977 until 1996. It primarily consists of material typically found in associational archives: correspondence (i.a. between the IAC secretariat in Warsaw and the national sections), publications, notes, reports, etc. The documents relate to the operation and activities of the organisation, i.a. the celebration of the anniversaries of the liberation of Auschwitz, the organisation of trips and pilgrimages to the camp, the fundraising for and creation of an international memorial in Auschwitz, the trials against the individuals in charge of the camp and other war criminals (incl. Ehlers, Asche and Canaris), the battle against negationism and (neo)Nazism, the conflict concerning the ‘Karmel’ in Auschwitz, etc. The material primarily dates from the years 1977-1996. Apart from archival material from/concerning the IAC, the fonds also contains personal archives of Maurice Goldstein. We find for example documents concerning his professional activity as a physician (correspondence with colleagues, medical documents, invoices, reports of conferences, etc.) and his mandate on the board of the ULB (e.g. minutes of meetings of the board).

Administrative/biographical history:: The International Auschwitz Committee (IAC) was created in 1952. Its threefold purpose is to disseminate knowledge of the concentration camp and killing centre of Auschwitz-Birkenau, defend the interests of survivors and promote contacts between the national Auschwitz committees. In 1992 the IAC, originally founded by survivors of the camps, opened its membership to organisations involved in spreading awareness of the horrors of the concentration camp and killing centre to younger generations. Today the IAC unites associations from more than 19 countries. The organisation has its headquarters in Berlin. (http://www.auschwitz.info/en/the-committee/the-iac-history.html)

Subject terms:: Anti-Fascism; Antisemitism; Antisemitism--Antisemitic propaganda; Health and medical matters; Health and medical matters--Physicians and nurses; Holocaust; Holocaust--Concentration camps; Jewish-Christian relations; Monuments and memorials; Neo-Nazism; Personal records; Post-WWII trials; Prisoners; War crimes

Access, restrictions:: Access is reserved for researchers. They are required to fill out a research declaration prior to consultation.

Finding aids:: M. Cambier & S. Timperman, Les archives du Comité International d’Auschwitz. Rapport sur l’archivage du Fonds conservé à la Fondation Auschwitz, 2005.