“Kto nie pamieta historii skazany jest na jej ponowne przezycie” / “The one who does not remember history is bound to live through it again” – George Santavana
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| (Imagine a sinister sound like ‘Jaws’ or something) |
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| Everybody thinks this is the entrance to Auschwitz, while it's actually the view for the Exit of Birkenau |
It is a black page in (German)
history, but after all still a well-organized extermination, an example of what
mankind is capable of doing, a nightmare to many, it is: Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Everyone has heard about it, few
people I know have actually been there. I would say it’s a must do. THE AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU CONCENTRATION CAMPS.
A sinister place where millions of people found death and despair, many
more lost relatives or friends, and world history was influenced heavily by
their existence. I can say you this after our visit: it’s worth every zloty you pay.
Basically Justyna, Billia, Laura,
Toon and me took a bus on Saturday morning from Krakow to Auschwitz, which took
about 1,5hr –we wanted to take the train to Auschwitz but this was not possible
at that time, normally you can do this though-. Once arrived, we noticed we
weren’t the only people here. I am
pretty sure that several thousand people per day visit one of the biggest
graveyards in the world. Yes, the concentration camps are seen as one big
graveyard, as the victims were not buried but burned to ashes.
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| Note to myself (& to the world:) I was there as a tourist |
For about 30 zloty -7,5euros at the
time- per person, we got into a group of visitors with an English-speaking
guide. We started at the famous ‘ARBEIT MACHT FREI’-sign and went into the
actual concentration camp of Auschwitz, which at the time was a prison for
about 10 000 people, mostly Jews, Soviet Prisoners Of War, delinquents, etc. Thanks
to the Polish government, the concentration camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau are
almost perfectly preserved and in some of the old buildings, exhibitions take
place all year long. We got to see how people ‘lived’, what they did and even
the ovens were shown to us. It was so surreal to see all this and I didn’t
always take pictures because I just couldn’t bear the idea of making pictures
of places where thousands, even millions of people had suffered so hard. –That’s
also why the pictures you see here are quite ‘censored’.
After a 2,5hr tour we got back to
the main entrance and were given some time to buy souvenirs (Who the F* wants
to buy postcards from Auschwitz???). Toon and me both bought a book with
pictures etc. After that we took the
shuttle bus to Auschwitz II, also known as Birkenau, 3km from Auschwitz I and
way bigger. There was room for 100 000 prisoners (!!!) on the 150hectares wide
terrain. 14km of barbed wire was preventing them from escaping. Four ovens
could murder over 5000 people at once when used at the same time. At its
highest point, more than 10 000 people arrived a day per train (up to 100
people in one wagon), making it impossible to organize the camp in any way
–good or bad. 10 people had to sleep on 2m², ending up with +700 people in one
barracks.
I know, these numbers are hard to
understand. I didn’t get them either before. But now I’ve been there. I’ve seen
the pictures of victims. I’ve seen their possessions, taken away from them
brutally by the Nazis. I’ve seen their clothes, shoes, jewelry and things I’d
prefer not sharing with you online. I’ve seen it all. And I’ve learned a lot.
It got Toon and me quiet (And everyone who knows either of us, knows that we do
not easily become silent). The brutal truth hit us. It is true.
A couple of days ago, the leader of
the Greek extreme right nazi-party, said in the Greek parliament that the
concentration camps were a lie. I would recommend him to go there and see for
himself, at least he would see it, hopefully it would change his mind and
definitely he will lose some weight while walking along the hundreds of meters
of barracks and kilometers of barbed wire.
peace out_
Toon&Thibault
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| Auschwitz' streets and barracks |
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| Map showing the origin of prisonors of Auschwitz |
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| Zyklon Gas B - used capsules |
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| Hallways full of profiles/pictures of (mostly Jewish) victims |
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