A British visitor identified as Lynne drew widespread criticism after posting a TikTok video accusing the Auschwitz memorial of being a “money-making scheme” over café prices. The clip has been viewed 4 million times since last week.
Lynne said her strawberry smoothie tasted watered down, while her daughter Kerry said the lemonade tasted like toilet cleaner; Lynne said the two drinks cost £9. She also complained that the café had no decaf or non-dairy milk and advised visitors to bring food and drink, saying they are frisked at the entrance.
After criticism, Lynne defended her complaints, saying visitors need drinks during long tours and that Auschwitz is a memorial, not an attraction. The museum said the café is outside the visitor services centre, run by an external provider, and has clearly displayed prices. Alex Hearn of Labour Against Antisemitism said the focus on café prices was deeply troubling and reflected a wider loss of awareness of the Holocaust. Karen Pollock of the Holocaust Educational Trust urged visitors to learn from eyewitness and survivor testimony.
