BREAKING: Germany has officially canceled an “offensive” auction of Holocaust artifacts amid significant backlash from Holocaust survivors and international officials. The decision was confirmed by Poland’s Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, who communicated with his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, on Sunday.
The auction, scheduled for Monday, July 31, 2023, at the Felzmann Auction House in Neuss, near Düsseldorf, included over 600 lots of sensitive items such as letters from concentration camp prisoners and Gestapo index cards. This collection was deemed deeply disturbing and exploitative, igniting outrage among survivors and advocates.
In a post on the X platform, Sikorski stated, “We agreed that such a scandal must be prevented.” The Polish minister praised Wadephul for his swift action in canceling the auction.
The auction, titled “The System of Terror,” drew immediate condemnation from groups like the International Auschwitz Committee. Christoph Heubner, its executive vice president, called the sale “a cynical and shameless undertaking” that victimizes those affected by Nazi persecution. He emphasized that the documents should be preserved for families and displayed in museums, not sold for profit.
Earlier on Sunday, the auction listing had abruptly vanished from the Felzmann website, raising questions about the timing of the cancellation. The auction house has not yet responded to inquiries regarding the decision.
Heubner reiterated the emotional toll such an auction takes on survivors, stating, “Their history and the suffering of all those persecuted and murdered by the Nazis is being exploited for commercial gain.”
As discussions continue, advocates are urging all auction houses to handle Holocaust artifacts with the utmost respect and sensitivity. The international community watches closely, hoping this cancellation sets a precedent for the treatment of similar items in the future.
This developing story underscores the ongoing struggle for dignity and respect for Holocaust victims and their families. As authorities work to ensure that such artifacts are treated appropriately, the conversation around the commercialization of history remains urgent and necessary.
