I am not Qualified…..

The tour starts with a ten minute video clip by the end of which most of the visitors have a heavy heart, if not tears in their eyes. I have been trying to write this article since my visit in Jun 23 but I felt I am not qualified to express my feelings in words. There are not enough adjectives in any language to describe the grave atrocities meted on one human by another.

Bucket List

I have always been intrigued by events of World War II but one of the most influential amongst them is the genocide of European Jews. My recent travel to Poland was particularly to visit the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. Well preserved ruins have been maintained painstakingly at Oswiecim near Poland as a lesson in humanity to the contemporary world.

Auschwitz Memorial

The erstwhile Auschwitz Concentration Camp, now a memorial comprising two preserved camps at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Many camps were obliterated by Nazis as Allied troops were approaching. Auschwitz is the german name for Oswiecim which was established in 1939 soon after invasion of Poland by Nazis.

Horrific

Auschwitz was a small camp with less capacity and therefore to exterminate a larger number of Jews, farmlands were seized from Polish farmers and a bigger camp was built at Birkenau, german name for Brzezinka.

Interesting Fact. The commandant house at Auschwitz is located less than 50 meters from the Gas chamber. The Commandant with his family lived a luxurious life with his family, while thousands were condemned to death everyday.

How to Visit

The camp is open for tourism round the year at specific times. The tickets can be pre-booked online (recommended as it gets busy) and parking is paid. The visit is not recommended, by the management, for children under 14 years.

There are guided tours over wireless audio systems in major international languages. More details are covered during the tour which last about four hours.

Highlights

As obeisance to the departed, photography in certain areas is prohibited, however a few items on display are devastating

• A huge urn with ashes of the dead
• 750 kgs of Human hair (shaved from heads of the condemned)
• Pile of shoes
• Pile of pots, pans and utensils
• Pile of suitcases
• Pile of clothes from infants to adults

Shoes on Danube Bank

Leadership!!!

A visit to Auschwitz memorial camp is not in the genre of a stress busting holiday but it certainly is a lesson in humanity. Irrespective of nationality and religion, in my opinion it is a must visit place. It gives an insight into measures adopted by Nazis to discourage mutiny and escape. For example, any inmate who was an intellectual or displayed traits of leadership was killed immediately. Nazi soldiers were extremely polite and courteous with Jews prior boarding the trains and while leading them to gas chambers. Dummy shower heads were fixed to the roof of the gas chambers to bluff them into bathing. It also forces me to think why Jews who were in such large numbers did not overthrow the Nazis who were numerically less. Probably, because there was no leader.