Oswiecim authorities permit for disco near concentration camp prompts protest

The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a leading Jewish human rights organization, is protesting against plans to build a disco in the building the Nazis used to sort luggage brought to Auschwitz by its victims. Local authorities of the town Oswiecim issued a permit for the disco, saying that it would be located outside of the special Oswiecim zone established to prevent activities that could offend the memory of concentration camp victims. Oswiecim mayor Adam Bilski said there are no legal grounds to refuse the permit to operate the disco in the building. He added that many residents of Oswiecim were tired of their town being treated as one large graveyard and a museum. The government blocked the first attempt to open the disco last year. (Reuters, Zycie, page 5)