Eighty years after the Holocaust, a new injustice persists—one that stains the memory of six million murdered Jews and insults the very values of remembrance and accountability. Poland, where the Nazis built some of their most notorious concentration and extermination camps, continues to profit—both symbolically and financially—from Jewish suffering. It is time to demand that every dollar earned from Auschwitz, Birkenau, and other sites of mass murder be directed not to Polish tourism or general state budgets, but to Holocaust survivors, their families, and Jewish causes that preserve memory, fight antisemitism, and support the Jewish people.
Each year, over two million people visit Auschwitz-Birkenau. These sites, while operating under the banner of education and remembrance, also generate millions in direct and indirect revenue—from ticket sales, guided tours, merchandise, and the surrounding hospitality industry. Yet very little, if any, of this money finds its way to the descendants of the murdered, the families of survivors, or the institutions preserving Jewish heritage and defending truth.
Instead, Poland has positioned itself as a caretaker of Holocaust history, while failing to confront its own uncomfortable truths and instead capitalizing off the genocide of its once-thriving Jewish population. It is grotesque to think that Jewish blood has become a source of state income, especially when those who are the rightful heirs to this legacy—Holocaust survivors and the Jewish people—see no benefit.
The recent barring of Israeli soldiers and security officials from entering the Birkenau concentration camp with Israeli flags during a Holocaust commemoration is a chilling reminder of how twisted this reality has become. To exclude Jewish and Israeli representatives from visibly honoring the memory of their people in such a sacred and tragic space is not only disrespectful—it reveals a growing moral disconnect between Poland’s professed commitment to Holocaust memory and its actions on the ground.
Let us be clear: Auschwitz is not just a historical site. It is the largest Jewish graveyard in the world. The ashes of millions lie there—not as a tourist attraction, not as a symbol for Poland to posture on the world stage, but as a solemn warning and a sacred trust. For Poland to financially benefit from these sites while simultaneously pushing back against restitution, historical accountability, and open expressions of Jewish identity is nothing short of exploitation.
A travesty
A recent announcement from the Sarajevo-based museum that houses the world-renowned Sarajevo Haggadah. In what they call a “rebuke to Israel,” museum officials plan to donate proceeds to Palestinian Arab causes. Regardless of one’s political views, the hypocrisy is glaring: Jewish artifacts and heritage are preserved and used by foreign governments and institutions—but not to honor or uplift Jewish life. Instead, these legacies are turned into political weapons, divorced from their origin and the communities they belong to.
The time has come to put a stop to this dangerous trend. Poland must be called out by Jewish organizations, human rights advocates, and world leaders who claim to honor Holocaust remembrance. We must demand that:
- All profits from ticket sales and related Auschwitz-Birkenau revenue be transparently reported and redirected to Holocaust survivor support, Jewish educational initiatives, and restitution funds.
- Holocaust sites in Poland be governed in partnership with international Jewish institutions and descendants of victims, to ensure the narrative remains authentic and respectful.
- Poland immediately ceases its discriminatory treatment of Jewish groups, especially Israeli representatives seeking to mourn with national symbols.
- The international community apply pressure on institutions and countries that appropriate Jewish history for profit or political gain while excluding Jews themselves.
Let us not forget: Poland was home to over three million Jews before the Holocaust—more than 90% were murdered by the Nazis. Today, their memory is preserved in name, but too often ignored in action. There is no justice in remembrance without restitution. There is no honor in commemoration without accountability.
The Jewish people are not props in a state-run museum. The memory of the Holocaust is not for sale. And the time for silence is over.
Duvi Honig is CEO and Founder of Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce.