Safeguarding “Negative Historical Values” for the Future?: Appropriating the Past in the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz-Birkenau, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, serves not only as a testament to historical atrocities but also as a tool for shaping future societal values. This study reveals how the site's material evidence has been transformed into a didactic framework, guiding interpretations of the past and projections toward a 'better future.' By analyzing conservation paradigms from the 1970s to the 1990s, including ecological management and buffer zone strategies, the research demonstrates how temporal references on the site have been mediated. This process has significant implications for understanding historical authenticity and its role in constructing collective memory.

Röttjer, J. (2015). Safeguarding “Negative Historical Values” for the Future?: Appropriating the Past in the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site Auschwitz-Birkenau. Ab Imperio, 2015(4), 130–165. https://doi.org/10.1353/imp.2015.0091