Death marches: uncovering the truth beneath the soil
“What a blast of a documentary. I had to stop the car abruptly in traffic and listen.”
The memorial recognising the death marches in Schonwald, now Bojkow.
How a town in Poland – once in Germany - is discovering its troubling past.
80 years ago Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi extermination camp. Over 1.1 million people, mainly Jews, were murdered there. However, there is an aspect of those terrible days which is less well known and which 80 years later is still being uncovered and still resonating: the death marches. As Soviet troops approached, in January 1945, SS soldiers at Auschwitz-Birkenau forced some 60,000 prisoners to march west, in freezing temperatures. Weak with hunger and disease, those who fell behind were shot.
This is the story of how eight decades on the search for the truth behind one of those death marches is being uncovered. For years the history of a death march passing through the once proud German community of Schönwald was hidden. It is also the story of how descendants of the original inhabitants of Schönwald are having to confront the role some of their relatives may have played in the Nazi project, and how today’s Polish inhabitants of the town, which is now called Bojków, are grappling with what happened on their streets. Amie Liebowitz’s own great-grandmother was murdered Auschwitz-Birkenau, while her great-aunt was rescued by the Soviet forces. She speaks to those on both sides – German and Polish – who are uncovering this history.
Presenter: Amie Liebowitz // Producer: John Murphy
“Just letting you know that I appreciated your program on the BBC World Service this morning spotlighting the death march and the horrible ordeals. It is hard to come to terms with the ordeals, the pain that lingers silently and invisibly; what people did and the personal question of how to deal with their descendants, etc. In the U.S., I am unaware as I go about, but, I am sure the land bore witness to other atrocities...”
Multi-platform campaign
This is my first multi-platform campaign that I have personally managed within the BBC. From the air date to 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, my work was broadcast on Radio, Podcasts, Online and TV.
Here is the BBC Holocaust Memorial Day Press Release .
Audio - Presenting:
Audio - Producing:
Focus on Africa Podcast, World Service - The forgotten Black victims of the Holocaust
Online - 25th Jan, 1.6m readers by end of day. Reading time of 1’15 - which calculates that on average 1.6m read to the bottom of the article:
TV - Lunchtime news appearance with Lucy Hockings, 21st Jan
Radio interviews and pick ups:
Newsday, World Service (21st Jan)
The Newsroom, Newshour took a news package (21st Jan)
Global News Podcast (21st Jan)
5 Live Breakfast, BBC 5 Live (25th Jan)
Good Morning Scotland, Radio Scotland (25th Jan)
12:40pm 21st January, 2025. Appearance with Lucy Hockings on BBC News Channel for premiere of Death Marches.
“Hi Amie,
I’m a journalist in the U.S. I wanted to shoot you an email because I was so deeply moved by your recent piece on death marches. Your interaction with Cornelia was just breathtaking. That interview would have been interesting if you’d held your tongue, but your bravery in expressing your honest feelings and the moment you captured as a result was one of the most moving and meaningful moments, I’ve witnessed in any journalistic work I’ve encountered. I think the world needs to hear this story now, today, more than ever. Thank you for being the one to tell it, and for telling it so beautifully..”
