The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation

Ronald S. Lauder, who established the foundation in 1987, visited the Auschwitz site in 1989. The visit made such an impression on him that, as soon as he returned to the United States, he decided to set up a separate International Project for the Preservation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum under the aegis of the foundation bearing his name. The Project was headed by two volunteers who were also Holocaust survivors, Kalman Sultanik and Emest W. Michel. An International Honorary Committee of more than one hundred well-known personalities from all over the world was also named.

The Committee made repeated, intensive working visits to the Museum, after which it presented detailed recommendations intended to preserve the structures and material remains that were left on the grounds of the former Birkenau camp, and the objects and archives of the former Auschwitz camp. The cost of the entire project was initially estimated at $42,000,000.

When the project had been prepared, an intensive campaign was initiated in order to raise the funds needed to carry it out. The money was to come from the European countries from which the Jews had been deported. As a result of many years of concerted effort, more than $25,000,000 has been raised so far. The largest share, over $16,000,000, has come from Germany. Ten other countries have also contributed: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, and The Netherlands, as well as a symbolic sum from Israel. Further efforts are underway to raise the remaining amount from other governments.

This unprecedented project has united many countries in a gesture intended to preserve the authentic material evidence of the Nazi brutality to which the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp bears testimony. This place should forever remain a witness for future generations and should serve as a warning against the dimensions of the evil that mankind is capable of.

So far, the following countries have joined in the project to preserve Auschwitz-Birkenau: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Luxembourg, Norway, Russia, Switzerland, and The Netherlands.