Ep 297: Ordinary Heroes with Bernie Furshpan & Jolanta Zamecka and guest Pawel Sawicki on hmTv

Ep. 297: “Ordinary Heroes” on hmTv
Hosted by: Bernie Furshpan & Jolanta Zamecka
Guest: Paweł Sawicki, Deputy Spokesperson, Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum

In this deeply moving episode of Ordinary Heroes on hmTv, hosts Bernie Furshpan and Jolanta Zamecka are joined live from Poland by Paweł Sawicki, Deputy Spokesperson of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. Speaking directly from the historic site itself, Paweł offers a rare, first-hand perspective on preserving the world’s most powerful symbol of remembrance.

Together, they explore the origins of Auschwitz, its transformation from a single camp into a vast system of concentration and extermination camps, and the importance of preserving its authenticity for future generations. Paweł discusses the complexities of forced labor, the enduring fight against Holocaust denial, and the human responsibility to stand up against hatred in all its forms.

The conversation transcends history—it’s a call to conscience. Through Paweł’s insight and passion, this episode reminds listeners that remembrance is not only about the past; it’s about shaping a more humane and united future.

🎧 Ordinary Heroes—stories of courage, memory, and moral responsibility—only on hmTv.

Transcript

Ep. 297: “Ordinary Heroes” on hmTv
Hosts: Bernie Furshpan & Jolanta Zamecka
Guest: Paweł Sawicki, Deputy Spokesperson, Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum

[00:00:31] Bernie Furshpan:
Hello and welcome back to hmTv. I’m Bernie Furshpan, host of Ordinary Heroes here at the Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center. My special co-host today is Jolanta Zamecka, my co–Vice Chair at the museum. Jolanta, thank you for joining me today. And we have a very special guest joining us live from Poland—directly from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum—Deputy Spokesperson, Paweł Sawicki. Paweł, thank you so much for being with us this morning.

Paweł Sawicki:
Thank you very much for the invitation. It’s truly a pleasure to be here.

Bernie:
Now, I have to ask—behind you, is that a photograph or are you actually standing there?

Paweł:
No, I’m actually here—standing on the site of the former Auschwitz I camp. You can see the fence, the barracks, and behind me, at the far end, the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate. This is the real site, not a backdrop. I’ll show you—[camera shifts]—that’s the kitchen building, and the fence continuing around. I’m standing exactly where history happened.

Bernie:
It’s powerful to see you there. Thank you for giving us and our viewers that perspective. I’ve not yet had the privilege to visit in person, but Jolanta has been there several times.

Jolanta Zamecka:
Yes, and every visit changes you. Paweł, could you share with our audience a bit about Auschwitz—many people think only of Auschwitz-Birkenau, but there were actually three main camps and dozens of subcamps. Who was interned there?

Paweł:
The story is indeed complex. Auschwitz began as a single camp in 1940, originally to imprison and eliminate the Polish intelligentsia, resistance members, and community leaders. Over time, it expanded into a system of three main camps—Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III-Monowitz—plus about fifty subcamps.
In 1942, Auschwitz also became a site of mass extermination for Jews deported from across Europe. It evolved into a hybrid camp: a concentration camp and an extermination center. About 1.3 million people were deported here; around 1.1 million were murdered—mostly Jews, but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners, and others.

Bernie:
Are the structures we see today mostly original?

Paweł:
At Auschwitz I, yes. Most of the brick barracks, kitchens, and administrative buildings are original. Some elements, like the barbed wire, had to be replaced, but the posts are authentic. At Birkenau, many of the wooden barracks were destroyed, but visitors can still see brick remnants and ruins of the gas chambers and crematoria, which the SS blew up before abandoning the camp.

Bernie:
Let’s talk about Auschwitz III—Monowitz. This was tied to industrial slave labor, correct?

Paweł:
Yes. Monowitz was built beside a massive chemical factory complex planned by IG Farben. Prisoners were used as forced labor to construct it. But unlike a normal labor camp, here “work” was a tool of extermination—when people could no longer work, they died. Auschwitz III and all its subcamps were part of one system. Labor was not for economic progress—it was another method of killing through exhaustion and brutality.

Bernie:
Today, who visits the museum? Are most visitors Jewish, or do you see a mix from all backgrounds?

Paweł:
Visitors come from all over the world—millions each year before the pandemic. We don’t track religion, but most are non-Jewish. About 20% come from Poland; others from the U.S., Israel, the U.K., Germany, Spain, Italy, and many more. As for Holocaust deniers—thankfully, very few. The site itself is undeniable evidence. In Poland, Holocaust denial is also a criminal offense. Denial thrives online, but not here. People who come, come to learn.

Bernie:
Why is it still critical, in 2025, to continue telling the story of Auschwitz—nearly eighty years later?

Paweł:
Because it’s a warning from humanity’s darkest chapter. This is not only a Jewish story—it’s a human story. Educated people—engineers, doctors, architects—created this machinery of death. Auschwitz shows how hate and ideology can transform ordinary people into perpetrators. It also forces us to confront the role of bystanders—those who looked away. Every visitor should leave asking: “What is my moral responsibility today?”

Bernie:
Beautifully said. Education is powerful, yet hatred persists. What do you tell young visitors to help them become upstanders instead of bystanders?

Paweł:
We remind them that change begins small. Young people may feel powerless, but their choices matter—helping others, volunteering, speaking up. Responsibility grows with age, but it starts now. Whether you’re a student or an elder, it’s never too late to make a difference. The lesson of Auschwitz is to resist simplification—life isn’t black and white. We must build bridges between people, not walls. Dialogue, empathy, and understanding are how humanity survives.

Bernie:
That’s profoundly true. Jolanta?

Jolanta:
Working together across faiths and nations—that’s how humanity heals. We are all related, all responsible for one another.

Bernie:
Paweł, a personal question: how does working at Auschwitz every day affect you?

Paweł:
It’s emotionally challenging, but meaningful. I don’t work in a camp—I work at a memorial created by survivors to give this place meaning. My role is to preserve authenticity and help people connect with this history. After 18 years here, I still believe that visiting this site can transform a person. They leave changed, more reflective, more human.

Bernie:
That’s hope right there. We speak the same language—even across an ocean. You remind us that good can triumph over evil, but it takes unity and moral courage. I owe myself a visit and will reach out when I come to Poland.

Paweł:
You’d be most welcome. And before we end, I’ll mention two ways to experience Auschwitz remotely:

1. Our “Auschwitz in Front of Your Eyes” online guided tours, which allow live, interactive sessions with guides here on-site.
2. The traveling exhibition “Auschwitz: Not Long Ago. Not Far Away”, now in Cincinnati, featuring over 500 original artifacts. Both continue the mission of remembrance and education.

Bernie:
That’s fantastic. Paweł Sawicki, Deputy Spokesperson of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, thank you for joining us today.

Jolanta:
Thank you, Paweł.

Paweł:
Thank you for having me.

Bernie:
And to our audience—thank you for watching and listening to Ordinary Heroes on hmTv. Today’s guest truly represents the extraordinary humanity behind remembrance. Until next time—stay inspired, stay vigilant, and keep building bridges.

[End of Episode]