L’Album D’Auschwitz,
Editions Al Dante/
Fondation pour la Memoire de la Shoah
It might seem to some that after the complete documented and
scientific edition of this Album published two years ago by Yad
Vashem in cooperation with the Auschwitz-Birkenau National Museum, a
new publication would be superfluous, especially since the Album has
also been published in several editions and in different languages.
Indeed this edition, published at the initiative of Serge Klarsfeld,
also does not provide any new insights into the fascinating subject
of the Album and yet it definitely should not be passed over.
It should be pointed out that Klarsfeld was instrumental to a large
degree in bringing the Album to the attention of the general
public. Due to his efforts in the 1970’s, Lili
Jacob gave the Album
to Yad Vashem.
In addition, Klarsfeld was the first one who discovered the
photographs in the Prague Jewish Museum and he published them in one
modest volume in Paris, in 1980. All subsequent editions were based
on his initial effort. In this new edition, the reader will
understand all the necessary elements for examining the photographs;
historical background, explanations of the photographs and what
hides behind them, details about Lili Jacob, as well as how she
discovered the album.
This French edition, certainly presents the reader with a good
factual and historical frame of reference. Part of the information
in this edition has previously appeared in the Yad Vashem-Auschwitz
State Museum publication, such as the identification of some of the
victims and perpetrators in the photographs. Another advantage of
this edition is the printing of the pictures in their original size
and in the same format of the album. The explanations of the
photographs are, for the most part, well done.
Klarsfeld’s edition does not reveal any new exciting discoveries,
nor is the mystery surrounding the album solved. Outstanding
questions remain; for example - who gave the order for the 207
photographs to be taken, for what reason, and who carried out the
order? [We have partial and circumstantial answers in the names of
Hoffmann and Walter.] It also remains unclear who wrote the
inscription in poor German on the inside cover and whether the album
was put to any use or simply laid aside.
The French-language edition augments any library devoted to
Holocaust Studies. Klarsfeld’s initiative in publishing this
edition is to be commended.
L’Album D’Auschwitz.
Paris 2005. Edition pour La Memoire de la Shoah. 152 p.
