VOICED: Picturing Auschwitz

Wilhelm Brasse, a prisoner and photographer at Auschwitz during WWII, documented the lives and deaths of fellow inmates, including the infamous medical experiments by SS officer Joseph Mengele. Despite orders to destroy photographic evidence, Brasse managed to save thousands of images, many of which are now preserved at the Auschwitz Museum. After the war, Brasse struggled to return to photography, haunted by memories of the Jewish children he once photographed.

Who was Wilhelm Brasse and what role did he play at Auschwitz?

What was the significance of the photographs taken by Wilhelm Brasse during his time at Auschwitz?

Describe the fate of the Jewish prisoners in relation to the photographs taken after a certain point.

What actions did camp commanders take regarding photographic evidence as the war progressed?

How did Wilhelm Brasse's experiences affect his perspective on photography after the war?