A recent viral photo of a woman posing at the Auschwitz concentration camp museum in Poland has ignited a debate about the ethics of Instagram tourism. The image depicts a woman standing on train tracks and posing with a smile in front of the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” sign, where thousands of Jews were processed for extermination during World War II. The photo has sparked outrage from those who believe such behavior is disrespectful and inappropriate, while others argue that it is misguided to police people’s personal choices on social media. This polarizing conversation raises broader questions about the role of social media and the responsibilities that come with public platforms.
The power of social media to spread images far and wide has come under scrutiny once again following the release of a viral picture of a young woman posing on the train tracks of Auschwitz. The site of the former extermination camp in Poland saw two million visitors each year pre-Covid, drawn by its historical significance as the site where the Nazis killed over a million people between 1940 and 1945. While taking photographs of the site is not necessarily frowned upon, the image in question has sparked a wider debate around the need for respect in the age of Instagram.
The image was tweeted by @MariaRMGBNews and has since been viewed almost 30 million times. Comments on the image have largely been aghast at the insensitivity displayed, with some users commenting that disrespectful behaviour has also been observed elsewhere, such as at New York’s 9/11 memorial site and in the Gion district of Kyoto, Japan. In the latter, photography has now been banned in certain areas after tourists took snaps of Geishas without their consent. However, one user did point out that the day the image was released – Wednesday, April 18 – is Holocaust Remembrance Day (or Yom HaShoah).
The Auschwitz museum itself addressed the issue in a tweet, which read: “Pictures can hold immense emotional & documentation value for visitors. Images help us remember. When coming to @AuschwitzMuseum visitors should bear in mind that they enter the authentic site of the former camp where over 1 million people were murdered. Respect their memory.”
Oliver Sears, the founder of Holocaust Awareness Ireland and the son of a Holocaust survivor, expressed his shock and dismay at what he calls “the general lowering of the tone” at Auschwitz. He insists that the site should be a phone-free zone, with a focus placed firmly on learning about its history instead. Mr Sears explains that Auschwitz is not just the world’s largest cemetery, but also a cemetery of “unmarked graves” marking all the places where the Nazis killed victims whose remains have never been recovered.
The Auschwitz museum’s own list of rules of order includes a guideline for visitors to behave with due solemnity and respect when visiting. Mr Sears suggests that a lack of awareness may be the root of the issue, but some visitors are also seemingly drawn to the site as a type of theme park. The industry has also cottoned on to the attraction of Auschwitz, with some holiday packages now including a visit to the site. Stories have also emerged of people walking along the tracks in the manner of tightrope walkers.
Mr Sears explained that guides at the site do an excellent job of informing visitors and reminding them to behave with respect, but the ubiquitous presence of mobile phones is a particular problem. He suggests that one solution could involve the use of a concert-style phone lock-up to prevent any photography taking place. Although such a solution might seem draconian, it would prevent any disrespectful behaviour from taking place.
However, a ban on mobile phones entirely would also restrict potentially valuable moments of commemoration, such as the laying of stones by a journalist in memory of Mr Sears’ relatives who had died during the Holocaust. Such an act of remembrance was only possible because of the access to photography that mobile phones had afforded. In the end, Mr Sears concludes that leaving the camera in the bag whilst at Auschwitz is a more respectful action, allowing visitors to focus solely on honouring the site’s significance.
