About the Museum

The Museum and Memorial in Bełżec was established on the site of the former German Nazi extermination camp. The institution was established on 1 January 2004 as a branch of the State Museum at Majdanek in Lublin and serves as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

In the autumn of 1945, work began on documenting the crimes committed at the site of the former camp in Bełżec. Members of the Main Commission for the Investigation of German Crimes inspected the site and drew up a site plan. The issue of commemorating the killing site was taken up by the Council for the Protection of Martyrdom Monuments, established in 1947. Its representatives visited the site of the former camp in 1949, and in 1950 a plan was drawn up for its restoration and the erection of a monument. Despite these efforts, Bełżec remained unprotected for the next decade and was periodically dug up by local people in search of gold.

An old black-and-white (sepia-toned) panoramic photograph showing the empty, sandy site of the former Bełżec extermination camp. A dense coniferous forest is visible on the horizon and at the edges, whilst a small group of young trees grows in the middle of the field. — Post-camp grouinds. Photo taken in 1945

First Commemoration

The first memorial in Bełżec was erected in 1963. The design was by engineer Henryk Jabłuszewski. The sites of the burial pits and cremation pits were marked with concrete obelisks, whilst the graves containing ashes were surrounded by kerbs on which urns and memorial candles were placed. The main monument – the mausoleum – took the form of a concrete cube 2.5 metres high. On its front was an inscription reading In memory of the victims of Nazi terror murdered in 1942 and 1943 and an expressive sculpture depicting two figures, one of whom is trying to lift the other, who is falling. The group was designed by Jarosław Olejnicki and Stanisław Strzyżyński. An additional plaque has been placed by the gate, stating that the victims included 600,000 Jews and 1,500 Poles.

An archive black-and-white photograph of the first memorial to the victims of the Bełżec extermination camp. In a clearing surrounded by forest stands a concrete cuboid bearing a commemorative inscription and a sculpture depicting two emaciated figures clasped together. The scene is captured from behind the branches of the trees. — The first commemoration at the site of the former Bełżec extermination camp

New Memorial Design

The creation of the modern memorial complex in Bełżec was the result of many years of preparation, which began in the second half of the 1990s. The impetus for the work came from the signing of an agreement between the Polish government and the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., the aim of which was to create a modern memorial site on the grounds of the former extermination camp. In 1997, an architectural competition was held for the memorial design, the aim of which was both to secure the area of the mass graves and to create a symbolic space enabling reflection on the tragedy of those deported to the camp.

A black-and-white rendering of the architectural design depicting the museum building — Rendering of the museum building

The authors of the winning design were sculptors Andrzej Sołyga, Marcin Roszczyk, and Zdzisław Pidek, who, in cooperation with the Krakow-based DDJM Architectural Office, prepared the concept for the memorial space and the museum building. The team of architects included Marek Dunikowski, Jarosław Kutniowski, Piotr Czerwiński, and Piotr Uherek. Prof. Jan Grabacki was responsible for the structural engineering of the facility. The project aimed to create a place where architecture and landscape jointly shape the narrative of the camp's history and the fate of its victims.

A visualization of a raw exhibition hall with a minimalist, industrial character. The interior is defined by high walls of gray architectural concrete with visible formwork divisions and a dark technical ceiling with spotlights. On the left, there is a ramp with an openwork balustrade made of vertical rods, while a low concrete bench sits on the right. The space is completed by a bright, glossy floor that reflects the light. — Visualization of an exhibition hall

During the implementation of the project, the Polish government was represented by Andrzej Przewoźnik, Secretary of the Council for the Protection of Struggle and Martyrdom. From 2002, the American Jewish community was represented by Rabbi Andrew Baker of the American Jewish Committee, who – under an agreement with the Holocaust Museum in Washington – took over responsibility for the further implementation of the memorial project. The project was co-funded by the Polish government and donors from the United States. The official opening of the Museum and Memorial in Bełżec took place on 3 June 2004.

A colour photograph from December 2003 showing the construction of the ‘Szczelina’ in Bełżec. A view from inside a deep, narrow trench with bare concrete walls. Wooden struts are stretched across the passageway, and the silhouettes of workers can be seen in the distance. — Construction of the New Memorial Complex

An important area of activity of the Museum and Memorial Site in Bełżec is historical education. The institution’s staff prepare educational programs, museum lessons, workshops, and study visits that bring closer the history of the extermination camp in Bełżec, the fate of the people deported there, the context of Operation “Reinhardt,” as well as issues related to Jewish culture and tradition. The educational offer is addressed both to school and university students, as well as to adult visitors from Poland and abroad. These activities are carried out based on an educational concept known as the pedagogy of remembrance, which combines the transmission of historical knowledge with reflection on the present and responsibility for preserving the memory of the victims.

A group of young people sitting at a table, working with source materials during a workshop. The students are listening to an educator who is explaining the topic in the room of the Research and Teaching Studio. Photocopies of documents and photographs are spread out on the table. — Educational workshops in the research and teaching studio

Since its establishment, the Museum and Memorial Site in Bełżec has been engaged in commemorating the victims of the camp through the organization of anniversary events and participation in remembrance ceremonies. These initiatives help foster historical awareness and create a space for reflection on the significance of past experiences for contemporary society.

A group of young people dressed in black, taking part in the artistic program “A Suitcase Full of Life” in a stark, concrete museum interior. In the foreground, next to an open, empty suitcase, a boy stands with his head bowed. Beside him, a girl reads a text from a sheet of paper. In the background, a closely gathered group of other students stands. — Artistic program “A Suitcase Full of Life” during the 82nd anniversary of the first deportations to the extermination camp in Bełżec.

Research and teaching facility

Educational, academic, and workshop activities are conducted in the research and teaching facility. This space is located in the building of the former commandant’s office of the German Nazi extermination camp in Bełżec. Following renovation and construction works carried out between 2019 and 2020, a modern educational infrastructure was created here.

The building includes a teaching room, workstations for handling archival documents, as well as office and sanitary facilities. The facility is equipped with modern multimedia solutions and has been adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, featuring, among others, a wheelchair ramp, an elevator, and accessible restrooms. The surrounding area of the facility also includes parking spaces, pedestrian walkways, and a covered shelter intended for groups participating in activities.

A modern room in the Research and Teaching Facility of the Museum and Memorial Site in Bełżec. On the left side, a female speaker is giving a presentation, pointing to a large multimedia screen showing portraits of young people. In front of her, a group of listeners is seated on chairs arranged in rows. — Training seminar devoted to the fate of the Roma community during World War II

Entrance to the Research and Education Center of the Museum and Memorial in Bełżec. A white building with a red roof and a modern wheelchair accessible ramp.

The Museum prepares and presents mobile exhibitions that bring closer the history of the extermination camp in Bełżec, the fate of its victims, and the broader context of the German occupation and the Holocaust during World War II. The exhibitions are devoted to various aspects of Germany’s policy of extermination and the experiences of those affected by its consequences.

The displays are based on the results of academic research, archival materials, eyewitness accounts, and artefacts held in the Museum’s collections.

The photograph shows the interior of an exhibition hall with raw brick walls and a dark concrete floor. Two young people—a woman and a man wearing dark jackets—stand with their backs to the camera, observing the exhibition. — Presentation of the exhibition “Every Victim Has a Name.”

An important area of the Museum’s work is documentation projects related to the history of the camp and the fate of its victims. One of the key initiatives is the project “Each Victim Has a Name,” carried out since 2004. Its aim is to document the identities of the people murdered in the camp and to restore the memory of their individual lives.

The institution collects testimonies from witnesses of history, as well as audio and video recordings concerning the period of German occupation and the extermination of Jews. Archival documents relating to the communities deported to the camp are also acquired.

These materials are systematically processed and used both in the Museum’s academic and educational activities.

An elderly man wearing a black hat and glasses is carefully completing a questionnaire as part of the “Every Victim Has a Name” project. On the form, written in English, he is entering information about his closest relatives who were deported to Bełżec and murdered there. — Josef Lewkowicz is filling out a questionnaire as part of the “Every Victim Has a Name” project