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Auschwitz museum develops app to detect ‘Polish death camps’ errors

PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea 16.02.2016 12:04
The Auschwitz museum in Poland has developed a computer programme to “correct memory errors” related to the incorrect use of “Polish death camps” in articles.
Photo: auschwitz.orgPhoto: auschwitz.org

“The Auschwitz camp was built by the German state on the territory of occupied Poland forcibly incorporated into the Third Reich,” Auschwitz Museum director Piotr Cywiński was quoted as saying in a statement announcing the release of the application.

He added that this fact “is obvious for all those who visit the authentic site of the Memorial or read [its] publications. We also underline this through our activities on the Internet. However, every once in a while in the media, this false statement appears, very painful to bear for Poles.”

The Remember application can be downloaded for free, and works with word-processing software on both PC and Mac. It will indicate that the term “Polish death camps” is erroneous and offer a suggested change.

“We decided to make use of the primary tool used by text writers and create an easy to install add-on that finds the mistake made and suggests a correct phrase,” added Agnieszka Heidrich, from the company which developed the app.

The application is designed to search for errors in 16 languages, the majority of which are used by educators who guide visitors at the Auschwitz Memorial. However, work is ongoing to include more languages.

Poland's Justice Minister recently announced that a new bill could see the country pressing charges over reports in the international media about “Polish death camps” in relation to Nazi German WWII compounds.

“This will be a bill that meets the expectations of Poles, who are accused around the world – in Europe, even in Germany, that they are the perpetrators of the Holocaust; that in Poland there are 'Polish concentration camps, Polish gas chambers',” Zbigniew Ziobro, who will shortly also take on the role of public prosecutor, told the RMF FM station.

People who use the term could face up to five years in prison. (rg/pk)

tags: Auschwitz
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