More than 2 million people visited Auschwitz during 2018 with British visitors being the second largest in number.

The number of people learning about the horrors of the Holocaust appears to be increasing. Auschwitz, located in occupied Poland during World War II, is the former Nazi concentration where more than 1 million Jews were put to death. It was part of a series of death camps created by the Nazis which were used to kill more than 6 million Jews during the Holocaust.

An amazing 2,152,000 international visitors toured the site last year. Encouragingly, more than 281,000 people from the UK came to the site in 2018, meaning British people continued to be the second largest group to visit the site.

The vast majority – 80% – of those who visited last year were taken around the site by one of the museum’s 320-plus official guides, who conduct tours in 20 languages, English being the most popular.

Dr Piotr Cywinski, director of the Auschwitz Museum, said: “Such a high percentage of those who choose to learn the history of Auschwitz in guided groups is of great significance.

“It is the most valuable educational form, which does not only provide more in-depth knowledge and understanding but also allows visitors to engage in a dialogue and ask questions about selected aspects of this tragic history.

“No automatism, no printed form or electronic equipment can substitute this human interaction during the visit that is difficult, both in terms of the amount of factual information and emotions.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the UK’s Holocaust Education Trust said:

“The importance of seeing this infamous site cannot be understated; hearing is not like seeing. As fewer eyewitnesses are able to tell their stories, it is more important than ever to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau.

“The trust is proud that this country takes this seriously, as the second highest nationality visiting, and that a proportion of this number is as a result of our Lessons from Auschwitz.

“Together we can ensure that the memory of the Holocaust lives on and the lessons of hatred and racism are learnt.”