Advertisement

Irish author's work criticised by Auschwitz Memorial

Management at the Holocaust memorial site in Auschwitz, Poland have criticised the work of Irish ...
Jack Quann
Jack Quann

15.52 5 Jan 2020


Share this article


Irish author's work criticised...

Irish author's work criticised by Auschwitz Memorial

Jack Quann
Jack Quann

15.52 5 Jan 2020


Share this article


Management at the Holocaust memorial site in Auschwitz, Poland have criticised the work of Irish author John Boyne.

Mr Boyne, who wrote the novel 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas', has claimed publishers were using references to the Nazi camp in book titles to "build a genre that sells well".

He tweeted: "I can't help but feel that by constantly using the same three words, & then inserting a noun, publishers & writers are effectively building a genre that sells well, when in reality the subject matter, & their titles, should be treated with a little more thought & consideration".

Advertisement

He also included an image of several novels that used the term 'Auschwitz'.

In a reply, the Auschwitz memorial account said: "We understand such concerns, and we have already addressed inaccuracies in some '...of Auschwitz' books published.

"However, 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas' should be avoided by anyone who studies or teaches factual history of the Holocaust".

The organisation did not elaborate on the topic.

But it offered recommendations of other reading material from its head of research, Dr Piotr Setkiewicz.

Mr Boyne's novel is set at the camp and sees two boys become friends: one who is in the camp and another outside it.

However the boy outside the camp, Bruno, does not realise what the camp is or why people are there.

The book was adapted in 2008 into a film of the same name.

The novel was also a New York Times bestseller and was adapted for a play, a ballet and an opera.

It has sold around 10 million copies worldwide.


Share this article


Read more about

Auschwitz Dr Piotr Setkiewicz Holocaust Memorial Site Irish Author John Boyne Poland Publishers The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas Twitter

Most Popular