This territorial ambiguity arose in the early 1980s with the inclusion of the Old Theater as well as the neighboring gravel yard and Carmelite Convent. It is hard to imagine that these later annexations could be thought of as integral parts of the State Museum at Auschwitz. The sites of the former German Death Camps are de facto cemeteries. Therefore, they should be governed by regulations pertaining to cemeteries. Visitors to all of the former Camps as well as the Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp have often stated that there is a need for permanent memorial honoring all of their various dead.
Christians see no difficulty in the proximity of Christian and Jewish symbols.
However, a portion of Jews, both religious and non-religious violently object to such coexistance. These viewpoints reflect the true state of Jewish-Christian relations but have nothing to do with international accords. The suggestion that international accords are requiring the removal of religious symbols is both erroneous and harmful. Waldemar Chrostowski, member of the International Council of the State Museum in Auschwitz.