In this polemical paper, I argue that, although conservation has generally presented itself as ananti-modern phenomenon, it is actually very modern indeed; the rise of the conservation movement has been a key element in the modern transformation of the built environment. The paper assesses how this situation has come about, drawing on the turn-of-century ideas of Alois Riegl, and argues that this modern concept of the monument has had a positive, creative side and a negative, even destructive side. In a concluding section, I explore the problems that conservation faces today as a result of that ‘committed’ stance.

In Auschwitz Germans killed more than a million Jews and 70,000 mainly Roman Catholic Poles. As a result, Auschwitz is a site holy to both peoples who have conflicting views as to what is historically and religiously important, and how the site should be managed. In 1996 the author led a group of architects to create a masterplan for the future of the former annihilation camp. It became the basis of an international agreement in 1997.

At the Anniversary Meeting on 22 November 2002, K.C. Fincham, MA, PhD, succeeded Dr. P. Mandler as Honorary Secretary; the remaining Officers of the Society were re-elected.