Reconceptualising counter-heritage : dynamics of emancipation at KL Plaszow Memorial Museum in Poland

Many WWII camps and killing sites in Poland were memorialised in the1960s without public consultation. However, some camps, includingKrakow’s KL Plaszow (featured in the film Schindler’s List), remained non-sites of memory , or spaces embodying sociologically significant gaps incollective memory: non-memory (Hirszowicz and Neyman 2001,Hirszorowicz and Neyman 2007). This article examines the conflict overestablishing The KL Plaszow Memorial Museum and engages ina discussion of the concept of counter-heritage. Using Interviews, thestudy reveals how divergent stakeholders, including survivors’ descen-dants, museum representatives, local residents, and activists, navigate theintricate web of commemoration. Our analysis identifies the tensions andtransformative potential within these commemorative conflicts acrossthree interconnected time frames: the past’s tendency towards oblivion,the current role and significance, and future challenges. We argue thatpublic consultations triggered the empowerment of various stakeholdergroups, fostering a new vision for the institution. This vision broadens themuseum’s mission from solely commemorating a difficult past to alsofacilitating present-day engagement. Adopting this vision could be parti-cularly effective in promoting the emancipation of counter-heritage andin empowering local communities.