How did good come to exist in an infernal world? We sought to answer this question posed by the chairperson, Krzysztof Czyżewski, in reference to the latest book by Cywiński, PhD, Auschwitz. A Monograph on the Human, which is based primarily on camp testimonies. In his work, Cywiński searches for traces of normality within the camp reality, preserved in the memory of life outside the camp. Ultimately, he attempts to reconstruct the meaning of goodness and decency in the camp environment and to reflect on how these concepts relate to our contemporary understanding.

The host of the meeting pointed out that the question about goodness – drawn from a statement by the painter Jerzy Nowosielski – constitutes a reversal of the fundamental question of theodicy: unde malum? (“whence evil?”). Piotr Cywiński, in turn, addressed the issue of whether the camp can be understood as a natural and comprehensible part of human experience, and if so, in what sense. Both speakers agreed that the answers largely depend on whether, following Nowosielski, we consider human beings to be inherently evil – in which case the camp and its reality would have to be regarded as part of humanity.

We encourage you to watch the full discussion, the recording of which will be published soon. The next meeting in the “Siberian Spirit” series will take place in June. Professor Krzysztof Czyżewski will be joined by Oksana Kis, a Ukrainian historian. The discussion will focus on the female perspective on the experience of war and the camp.