Record number of visitors to Auschwitz

According to a press release by the Auschwitz Museum, this is a record since the Museum opened sixty five years ago.

The number of young people visiting Auschwitz grew by 150, 000 last year.
The director of the Museum, Piotr Cywiński, said that this is encouraging, a visit to Auschwitz being for them not only a lesson in history but also a lesson of responsibility which is born out of remembrance of past events.

In addition to over 600, 000 Polish visitors, foreigners from 111 countries came to Auschwitz last year. The British top the list, with 82, 000 visitors, followed by the Italians, the Israelis, the Germans and the Americans. A 30 per cent drop in the number of Japanese visitors is attributed to the earthquake which hit Japan in March 2010.

Over a half of all visitors came to Auschwitz in organized groups. 270 guides are at their disposal. (mk/pg)