"Our Auschwitz is the ESMA": Preservation and the Holocaust at the former Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy in Argentina

The transformation of Argentina's ESMA, a former clandestine detention center under the military dictatorship (1976–83), into a UNESCO World Heritage Site reveals tensions between global heritage recognition and local demands for memory, justice, and reparation. This study shows how preservation efforts shifted from honoring victims' memories to safeguarding the site's physical structures, while also accommodating modern human rights activism. The analysis highlights contradictions in balancing historical protection with contemporary functional needs, illustrating how Argentine heritage discourse intersects with global Holocaust narratives. Successful UNESCO inscription underscores these dual pressures, reflecting broader challenges in preserving sites tied to atrocities.

Rozas-Krause, V. (2022). “Our Auschwitz is the ESMA”: Preservation and the Holocaust at the former Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy in Argentina. Future Anterior: Journal of Historic Preservation History, Theory, and Criticism, 19(2), 33–53. https://doi.org/10.1353/fta.2022.a940803