auschwitz walking tour

Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes.

Auschwitz. In Front of Your Eyes. An in-person series with our partners at Auschwitz Birkenau Foundation

Admission: $10 per person, includes complimentary admission to see our newly renovated exhibit.

Join us at The HC for Auschwitz In Front of Your Eyes , a live, virtual, guided tour of the infamous concentration and extermination camp. Deepen your understanding and gain exclusive access to previously inaccessible areas with one of the Auschwitz Memorial’s knowledgeable guides.

Members of The HC staff will facilitate each session, providing opportunities to ask questions and interact with guides. Five dates will be offered: May 26 , June 23 , July 28 , August 13 , and September 22 . All tours are designed to last two hours and are divided into two parts – Auschwitz I and Birkenau.

“The Auschwitz Memorial and its resources must remain accessible to all who want to understand it. This is where we have the opportunity to confront and address the most important issues related to humanity, society, the threats of antisemitism, racial hatred, and contempt for others.” – Dr. Piotr M. A. Cywinski, Director of the Auschwitz Museum

Register to attend one of the five (5) dates offered:

Auschwitz guided tour on sunday, may 26 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | in-person at the hc, attend on may 26 , auschwitz guided tour on sunday, june 23 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | in-person at the hc, attend on june 23, date three:, auschwitz guided tour on sunday, july 28 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | in-person at the hc, attend on july 28, auschwitz guided tour on tuesday, august 13 , for tisha b’av 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | in-person at the hc, attend on august 13, auschwitz guided tour on sunday, september 22 10:00 am to 12:00 pm | in-person at the hc, attend on september 22.

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Visiting Auschwitz – How to Plan the Auschwitz Tour

Last Updated on 26/04/2024 by kami

Visiting Auschwitz, albeit a very somber experience, is one of the must things to do in Poland. The largest Nazi Germany concentration and extermination camp during World War II, where over 1,3 million people lost their lives, needs no introduction. Conveniently located near Krakow , Auschwitz can be an easy addition to your Poland itinerary.

It took me almost 37 years to finally visit Auschwitz (although I’ve been to other Nazi Germany camps in Poland), and even if I knew very well what to expect, the place still overwhelmed me with its cruelty and tragedy. And I think everyone should plan a trip to Auschwitz to understand history better and see what people are capable of when the ideology brainwashes them. And, of course, to pay respect to all the unnecessary victims. It’s important to visit places like Auschwitz so we can do our best to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

If you are visiting Poland (especially Krakow , Warsaw , Katowice , or Wroclaw ), I prepared this guide to help you plan your Auschwitz tour without too much hassle. There are different ways to visit Auschwitz, but no matter which one you choose, be prepared for one of the most difficult yet necessary travel experiences of your life.

Table of Contents

Where is Auschwitz

The former Nazi Germany Concentration Camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau, is located in a town of around 37.000 inhabitants called Oświęcim in southern Poland. Krakow is less than 70 km away, and Katowice is 35 km away. Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is around 330 km away from Oświęcim.

A brief history of Auschwitz

Even if Auschwitz is known mainly as the extermination camp, it was established as a concentration camp in mid-1940. It was one of over 40 camps in Poland that were supposed to be a solution to the problem of overflowing prisons full of arrested locals. The first people were brought to Auschwitz on June 14th, 1940, from the prison in Tarnow.

Since 1942 Auschwitz has also been used as the extermination camp where Nazis implemented their plan to murder Jewish people from all over Europe. At the peak of its operation, in 1944, Auschwitz was divided into three parts: Auschwitz I (the oldest one, in the old Polish military barracks), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the largest one, founded in 1941, the majority of victims were killed here), and Auschwitz III (this was a group of over 40 sub-camps created near industrial plants, made for work prisoners).

Numerous Polish villages were demolished, and locals were evicted to develop such a large institution. The camps were isolated from the outside world. The total area was around 40 square kilometers, including all three Auschwitz camps and the so-called “interest zone” used for the technical or supply background, offices, and barracks for Nazis.

Since Auschwitz had a strategic location on the front line, in August 1944, the camp’s liquidation began – the prisoners were taken to Germany, and the evidence of the crimes was covered up. The liberation of Auschwitz took place on January 27th, 1945, when around 7,5 thousand prisoners were still held there.

Altogether, in the almost four years of operation, over 1,3 million people lost their lives in Auschwitz; the majority were Jewish (around 1,1 million), but also Polish (about 150 hundred thousand), Roma people (23 thousand), and other nations.

In 1979 Auschwitz was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List – it is the only former Nazi concentration camp with that title in the world.

How to visit Auschwitz

You can visit Auschwitz two ways: with a tour from where you are staying in Poland (most likely Krakow, Katowice, Warsaw, or Wroclaw) or independently, reaching the site by car or using public transport. Both options are doable; however, the tour is a slightly better one as everything will be taken care of for you.

There is a wide selection of tours to choose from that depart from Krakow as well as other mentioned cities. Most of them cover more or less the same things: pick-up from your accommodation, transportation to/from Auschwitz and back, the entrance ticket to the concentration camp, and the guided tour on-site.

When I visited Auschwitz, I arrived by train from Warsaw, with the change in Katowice. I was at the museum almost an hour before my guided tour of the site was supposed to start, and despite the poor weather (it was raining on that day), there was no place to hide and wait for the tour. Visitors were not allowed to enter the museum until a few minutes before the tour was about to start. Me and a few other unlucky visitors just stood near the trees, hiding under the umbrella and waiting for our time to enter the site. I can’t say it was a comfortable situation (but at least the weather worked perfectly well for such a sad place to visit). Recently, a new visitors center was opened so hopefully the situation is better.

When using public transport, you need to rely on the schedule of trains/buses and, just in case, plan to be at the site with some extra time ahead; hence a tour is a better option. Still, visiting Auschwitz is doable independently – I did it, and once the tour of the site started, it was really good.

Visiting Auschwitz – practical information

Visiting Auschwitz memorial site is free of charge; however, I recommend joining the tour with the educator provided by the museum. They have a huge knowledge of the place and the tragedy that occurred here and can answer all the questions visitors always have. Tours are available in various languages: Polish, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Czech, and Slovak.

Even if you decide to visit the site independently, you still need to book the entry pass – those with free entrance start in the afternoon. You can buy/reserve your ticket online at the website of Auschwitz Museum here.

Currently, the price for the tour with the educator is 80 PLN for Polish and 90 PLN for other languages. When booking the ticket, you must state your full name and surname – this will be checked later.

Since tickets can sell out quickly, booking one at least a month in advance is recommended. If there are no tickets left for the day you want to visit Auschwitz, you can join the organized tour from Krakow or other cities, as tour operators usually have tickets booked in advance. Due to the sensitive nature of the place, children under 14 years old should not visit Auschwitz Museum.

Once you have your ticket, you need to arrive at the Auschwitz visitors center 30 minutes before your tour starts to go through the security check (it’s rather thorough, similar to the airport), have your ticket inspected (remember to have the ID or passport with you), get the headset for the tour and meet your group. You are allowed to have a bag or backpack with a maximum dimension of 30x20x10 cm; any larger luggage must be left in the paid lockers.

Auschwitz Museum is open every day except January 1st, December 25th, and Easter Sunday. Opening hours vary depending on the month and are as follows:

• 7:30-14:00 in December
• 7:30-15:00 in January and November
• 7:30-16:00 in February
• 7:30-17:00 in March and October
• 7:30-18:00 in April, May, and September
• 7:30-19:00 in June, July, and August

The closing time means the last entrance – after that, you are allowed to stay on-site for an hour and a half. However, if you want to see Auschwitz Museum properly, you need at least 3,5 hours for that – that’s also how long the standard tour with the educator lasts. It is usually divided equally between Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II- Birkenau. A free shuttle bus runs between the two sites every few minutes.

Taking pictures and making videos is allowed in Auschwitz, for individual use, except in two places: the hall with the hair of Victims (block nr 4) and the basements of Block 11. Your educator will remind you not to take pictures there.

Remember what sort of place you are visiting and behave there with respect. It might be obvious for most, but I can’t count how many times I’ve read news about inappropriate behavior in Auschwitz and other similar sites in Poland, so I think it’s worth reminding this is not your typical tourist attraction but a place of one of the greatest tragedy that ever happened in the world.

Getting to Auschwitz independently

If you decide to visit Auschwitz on your own, you must get to the visitors’ center, where your tour will start. The new visitors center, which opened just recently, is located at 55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street in Oświęcim ( here is the exact location ). If you drive there, there is a large parking lot where you can leave your car before visiting the museum.

If you use public transport, there are both trains and buses you can take to reach Oświęcim. I recommend trains as they are slightly faster and more comfortable; however, some buses stop next to the museum, so that’s convenient. You can check all the connections on this website , where you can also find the location of the bus stop in Oświęcim (there can be three different ones).

The train station in Oświęcim is located at Powstańców Śląskich Street, some 20 minutes walking from the Auschwitz museum. It’s a straightforward way; you can check the map with the directions here . I recommend catching the train that gives you at least an hour between arriving at Oświęcim and when your tour starts.

Auschwitz tour from Krakow

Numerous Auschwitz tours depart from Krakow, so you will easily find the one that suits your itinerary and needs. Here are some recommended ones:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum and Memorial Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz & Birkenau – Fully Guided Tour from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour with Private Transport from Kraków
• Auschwitz-Birkenau Guided Tour by Private Transport from Krakow

You can also combine visiting Auschwitz with Wieliczka Salt Mine , another UNESCO-listed site near Krakow and a must-visit place in Poland. Here are the tours that go to both places in one day:

• Day Trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow including Lunch
• Full-Day Tour of Auschwitz and Wieliczka Salt Mine from Krakow
• Auschwitz-Birkenau and Salt Mine Tour with private transport from Krakow
• Combined: Auschwitz Birkenau and Salt Mine private chauffeur from Krakow

If you decide to go to Auschwitz from Krakow on your own, you can take the train from the main train station to Oświęcim. They are rather frequent, more or less every hour, and the journey takes a bit over an hour (depending on the connection, the longest one is 1h20min).

If you want to take the bus, they depart from the MDA bus station, next to the main train station. The price for trains and buses is similar, between 15 and 20 PLN, although trains tend to be cheaper and faster. You can check all the connections and buy a ticket here .

Auschwitz tour from Warsaw

Even if Warsaw, the capital of Poland, is located over 300 km away from Oświęcim, it is possible to go for a one-day Auschwitz tour. However, you can expect a long day, and a large part of it will be spent traveling. But if you are visiting Warsaw only, Auschwitz can be a good addition to your Poland itinerary, so you can better understand the country’s complex history.

Here are some of the recommended Auschwitz tours from Warsaw:

• From Warsaw Auschwitz and Krakow one day tour by train with pick up and drop off
• One day tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Warsaw with private transport

Going for the day trip from Warsaw to Auschwitz independently is also possible using trains. You can take the 6 am train to Katowice and then change for the train to Oświęcim, arriving in the town around 10:30. If you decide to do that, you can book your Auschwitz tour for 11:30 or 12:00. On the way back, you can catch the train after 16:00 from Oświęcim to Katowice, and after changing for the train to Warsaw, you will be in the capital after 20:00.

Auschwitz tour from Katowice

Since Katowice is less than 40 km from Auschwitz, it’s easy to go for a day trip. You need to take the local train to Oświęcim, it takes less than 50 minutes, and the connections are more or less every hour.

Or you can go for a tour, here are the Auschwitz tours from Katowice:

• Auschwitz – Birkenau from Katowice
• Auschwitz & Birkenau English guided tour by private transport from Katowice
• Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw

Wroclaw is another popular place to visit in Poland, and since it’s located around 230 km from Oświęcim, you can go for an Auschwitz tour from Wroclaw too. If you decide to do it independently, you can take the train to Katowice and then change for the local train to Oświęcim. A one-way trip should take you less than 4 hours.

Or you can go for a tour; here are the recommended ones from Wroclaw:

• Auschwitz-Birkenau Tour from Wrocław
• Private Full-Day Tour to Auschwitz-Birkenau from Wroclaw

Auschwitz Museum Tour

As for the museum itself, here is what you can expect.

You will start in the oldest part of the concentration camp – Auschwitz I, where the infamous gate with the sign “Arbeit macht frei” (meaning “Work Sets You Free”) is located. Here, you will visit numerous barracks where inmates were kept – now you can see different exhibitions there, showing the reality of Auschwitz and halls with personal belongings taken from arriving prisoners – luggage, shoes, glasses, etc., or hair of Victims. You will learn all about cruel practices here, including medical experiments or torture.

Visiting this part of Auschwitz museum is a very somber experience, and it’s really difficult to comprehend the tragedy that happened in this very place.

Besides the barracks in Auschwitz I, you will also see where the camp commander lived or the first crematorium where Nazis started their experiments with killing using gas. In this part of the Auschwitz tour, you can take pictures everywhere except the two places in Blocks 4 and 11 – they will be clearly marked, and your educator will remind you about this restriction.

The visit to Auschwitz I takes around 1,5 hours. Afterward, together with your group and educator, you will take the shuttle bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located some 3 km away.

Auschwitz II-Birkenau is where around 90% of victims died. It is a huge area that worked kind of like the killing factory, with four gas chambers and crematoriums. This is also where most prisoners arrived – you most likely know the view of the railway tracks and brick gate – that’s Auschwitz II-Birkenau. This part of the visit is mostly outdoors.

You will walk around the area, see the remnants of the camp, visit some barracks inside, and learn all about the horrific tragedy that happened here. When Auschwitz I has a more intimate, even claustrophobic feeling, Auschwitz II-Birkenau can overwhelm you with its scale and enormity.

You will spend around 1,5 hours here, too; afterward, you can take the shuttle bus back to the visitors center when you started your tour.

Final thoughts on visiting Auschwitz

Even though I’ve lived in Poland almost my whole life, and Auschwitz has been a familiar topic since I remember, it took me nearly 37 years to finally visit the place. Before I was in different Nazi Germany sites in Poland, mostly in Majdanek in Lublin, so I didn’t feel the need to visit Auschwitz too. But I don’t regret the decision to go there eventually.

You can read and learn about the place, but nothing can prepare you for visiting Auschwitz. Some areas look familiar (after all, pictures of the “Arbeit macht frei” sign or Birkenau gate are present everywhere), but you will still be overwhelmed by the place and seeing it in real life. It’s hard to comprehend the cruelty and tragedy that happened here, and dealing with all the thoughts invading your mind afterward can take a while. It can be one of the most difficult-to-understand places you will ever visit.

Still, despite it all, I think everyone should go to Auschwitz to see where fanaticism and totalitarianism can lead and why we should avoid them at all costs.

Further reading

I published many articles about Poland that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 37 Amazing Things to Do in Krakow, Poland
• 20 Great Places to Visit As Day Trips from Warsaw, Poland
• 17 Amazing Things to Do in Lublin, Poland
• The Complete Guide to Visiting Slownski National Park, Poland
• Visit Grudziadz – One of the Hidden Gems of Poland
• 19 Amazing Things to Do in Gdansk, Poland
• Visit Sandomierz, Poland – One of the Prettiest Towns in the Country
• Visiting Malbork Castle, Poland – the Largest Castle in the World
• 25 Amazing Things to do in Wroclaw, Poland
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in Central Europe and ask your questions there.

Travel Resources

You can find the best accommodation options at Booking . They have many discounts and excellent customer service. Click here to look for the place to stay in Poland

Never travel without travel insurance , you never know what might happen and better safe than sorry. You can check the insurance policy for Poland here.

I recommend joining organized tours to get to know the place better and to visit more places during your trip. You can find a great selection of tours at Get Your Guide – click here .

For the end I left a few announcements that might interest you:

• Sign up to my newsletter or follow me on Bloglovin to get updates about the new posts
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• I’ve included a few handy links of services and products I personally like and use so you can plan your own trip to Poland too. They are often affiliate links. This means I will get a small commission if you book/purchase anything through my links, at no extra costs for you. Thank you!

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Is their a lot of walking to do ...

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• Krakow Auschwitz - Tours

Krakow Auschwitz - Tours Questions & Answers

Yes, it is a large site, the car park is about 1km away from Birkenau, then a long walk around the site for full tour, you then transfer to Auschwitz for a shorter tour still long to see the mains places of interest , but it is worth the walk to see this

Yes quite a bit of walking but it is a place everyone should experience..

Yes but so worth it

Auschwitz is a nice slow pace bur Birkenau is a trek so gave a miss after just walking to main gate

Yes, but it is interesting so you don’t realise that you have covered a lot of ground. If walking is a problem take something tall, slim and light weight that you can perch on during the guided talks

Yes there is a lot of walking

It is a very good tour split in 2 section the first at Auschwitz 1 is up and down stairs into different huts along uneven paths. The second is Auschwitz 2 Birkenau which is far bigger and plenty more walking

Yes, there is a fair bit of walking involved but it well worth doing. Make sure you pack some comfortable footwear and you’re good to go.

yes a fair bit but any age and ability can do it

Yes, lots of walking. If you do not get a guide, then obviously you can walk at your own pace, but with a guide, you would need to keep up. A tiring day, but a must see

Yes, walking around the hole tour if you want to se everything and following the guide.

yes, you will steadily walk for about 3 hours in total.

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Virtual reality tour of Auschwitz available to New Yorkers this month

New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, from June 16, will host the exhibit Auschwitz, A Virtual Reality Tour.

The exhibit aims to utilize VR technology to allow museum-goers to experience a firsthand perspective of Auschwitz Concentration Camp.

Rabbi Yisrael Goldwasser, an internationally acclaimed speaker on the Holocaust, will narrate the Spirit of Triumph tour of the camp. 

Participants will explore the landscapes and barracks of the camp, in which over a million people were killed.

“In view of the role that it played in the realization of the Nazi extermination plans, Auschwitz is known around the world as a symbol of genocide perpetrated by Nazi Germany, and especially of the destruction of the Jews,” the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and museum said on their website.

Reviewing the exhibit

“It is the most amazing footage that you will ever see. I don’t think if you go to Birkenau Auschwitz, alive in real-time, you [will] see what you see in this video, especially the narration and the different stories that are told” said Rabbi Eli J. Mansour, Rabbinic Leader at Magen David Yeshivah in Brooklyn, according to New York’s Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Basic information

•  Admission  to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge. The entry cards should be reserved on visit.auschwitz.org . For better understanding the history of Auschwitz we suggest a visit with an guide-educator

• The fees are charged for guided tours. Visitors in groups are required to engage an Auschwitz Memorial guide.  There is also possibility  for individual visitors to join a guided tour . 

• The Museum also organizes  online guided tours   for groups and individual visitors.

• While on the grounds of the Museum, you are required to observe the appropriate solemnity and respect. Before the visit please read " the rules for visiting ".

• Due to overwhelming demand, please book in advance and arrive at the Memorial at least 30 minutes before the start of the tour due to security checks. The main car park and entrance to the Museum is located at  55 Więźniów Oświęcimia Street .

• The grounds and buildings of the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II-Birkenau camps are open to visitors. The duration of a visit is determined solely by the individual interests and needs of the visitors. As a minimum, however, at least three-and-a-half hours should be reserved.

• The maximum size of backpacks or handbags brought into the Museum does not exceed dimensions: 35x25x15 cm.

• Visitors may leave their luggage in paid luggage storage. The dimensions of the luggage storages expressed in centimeters are 90x50x22, 60x50x22 and 85x65x42, internal dimensions are: 90x50x30, 60x50x30 and 90x65x50, and their maximum load is 30 kg.

Taking pictures  on the grounds of the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau in Oświęcim for own purposes, without use of a flash and stands, is allowed for exceptions to a room with the hair of Victims (Block 4) and the basements of Block 11. Material may be used only in undertakings and projects that do not violate the good name of the Victims of Auschwitz. Photography and filming on the Museum grounds for commercial purposes, at spaces closed to visitors or with a drone , require prior approval by the Museum.

• Guides . Visitors in groups are required to engage an Auschwitz Memorial guide; individual visitors may also  engage a guide-educator . For them we offer  organized tours .
• Groups of more than 10 people  are required to hire a headphone guiding system.
• Disabled . Because of the need to preserve the historical authenticity of the site of the Memorial it may be difficult for dissabled persons to move around the grounds and buildings. In order to help visitors with disabilities wheelchairs are available free of charge at the Visitor Service Centre. More information...
• It is not recommended  that children under 14 visit the Memorial

While on the grounds of the Museum,  you are required to observe  the appropriate solemnity  and respect.

• via @auschwitzmuseum" aria-label="Udostępnij na Twitter">

Images from www.auschwitz.org may be used only in publications relating to the history of the German Nazi concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau or the activities of the Auschwitz Memorial. Their use must not tarnish the good reputation of the victims of KL Auschwitz. Any interference in the integrity of the images – including cropping or graphic processing – is prohibited. The use of the images for commercial purposes requires the Museum’s approval and information about the publication. Publishers undertake to indicate the authors and origin of the images: www.auschwitz.org, as well as to inform the Museum of the use of the images ([email protected]).

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Get the First Look at The Tattooist of Auschwitz Event Series on Peacock, Starring Harvey Keitel

Executive Producer Claire Mundell says the book adaptation is "a story that is as important today as it ever was.”

The Tattooist of Auschwitz , a six-part event series based on the bestselling novel of the same name, is coming to NBC ’s Peacock.

What is The Tattooist of Auschwitz?

Premiering May 2, 2024, the series stars Harvey Keitel , Melanie Lynskey, and Jonah Hauer-King and is based on the 2017 novel by Heather Morris. The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells an unforgettable love story forged from the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust, inspired by the real-life events of survivors Lali (Hauer-King) and Gita Sokolov.

In 1942, Lali arrived at Auschwitz-Birkenau and was made to be one of the infamous prison camp’s "tätowierer" (tattooist) upon arrival. Charged with tattooing his fellow prisoners’ arms with identification numbers, Lali experienced love at first sight when meeting Gita (Anna Próchniak), each inspiring the other another to survive the horrors of the concentration camp, often under the watchful eye of volatile Nazi SS officer Baretzki (Jonas Nay).

What developed between the couple was a “courageous, unforgettable, and human story” as told decades later by the recently widowed Lali (Keitel) to writer Heather Morris (Lynskey), according to the series’ press release.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz is produced by Synchronicity Films’ Claire Mundell, Sky Studios’ Serena Thompson, and written by Jacquelin Perske.

Israeli filmmaker Tali Shalom-Ezer directs.

Here’s why The Tattooist of Auschwitz is important

Mundell said it was “important” to have Jewish actors portray the roles of both young and old Lali, adding that Keitel ( The Piano, Pulp Fiction ) and Hauer-King ( The Little Mermaid, A Dog’s Way Home ) delivered the parts with "nuance, empathy, compassion, and the complexity that we need from that character.” Hauer-King and Polish actress Anna Próchniak (as Gita) give “career-defining performances,” Mundell continued.

As for the role of Heather Morris, Lynskey had the “innate empathy, inquisitiveness, and openness” to play Morris’s relationship with Lali.

"Her role and relationship with Lali within the series is a clear example of how the screen adaptation differs from the book, as we’re framing the story from Lali’s real meetings with Heather in his Melbourne apartment. Lali unburdens to her what he can, but as he increasingly begins to trust Heather, he shares the full horrors of the trauma he still suffers as an elderly survivor.  Being introduced by a mutual acquaintance, they met over coffee and then proceeded to spend the next three years developing a relationship. I'm not sure if either of them realized at the beginning, but clearly what began is the telling of Lali’s and Gita's beautiful love story," Mundell said.

“We began developing this story five years ago, and I was struck by how the book became a bestseller during a time when awareness of the Holocaust was in decline. Our series tells one man’s story and experience of Auschwitz and how he found love in the darkest of places. It is a story that is as important today as it ever was.”

Director Shalom-Ezer said it was a “huge challenge” to convince audiences that a love like Lali and Gita’s could come from such a horrific era.

“Claire and I talked about what a huge challenge it was going to be to make viewers believe in a love story that existed in this dark place and time,” said Shalom-Ezer. “This was the task that I, as director, Claire, Jacquelin, and our team took upon ourselves, and I pray that we will be able to make viewers around the world believe in the wonderful love story of Lali and Gita.”

How to watch

The Tattooist of Auschwitz ’s six episodes premiere May 2, 2024, on Peacock . Its international release in the U.K., Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will be available on Sky Atlantic and NOW. 

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