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Auschwitz
"Work Will Set You Free"Today we started with an excellent breakfast on the square in Old Town Krakow. I had the “English” Breakfast with fried egg, mushrooms, sausage, bacon, and baked beans. Sara had the “American” Breakfast with a mini omelet and pancakes with maple syrup. The pancakes were more like muffin tops. More importantly, they served iced tea mixed with fresh fruit – it was wonderful. There were no free refills that did not stop me from ordering a few glasses. I can’t wait to try this at home.
After breakfast we found our way to the bus station and boarded the local bus around 10:20 AM. After a 1-½ ride through the countryside of southern Poland, we arrived in Oswiecim: more famously known to the rest of the world as Auschwitz. The Germans changed all Polish name to German spelling and pronunciation. This was done in an effort to remove all attachments to community, region, and State (i.e., country).
Once at Auschwitz we began our four-hour tour with an English-speaking guide. She was amazing! We learned so much about the entire operation at Auschwitz-Birkenau. In fact, there were three separate camps around Oswiecim: 1) Auschwitz; 2) Birkenau; and, 3) Auschwitz III
(a.k.a. Momowitz). Although Auschwitz was the first camp established, Birkenau was the “death factory.” By 1944, there were more than 106,000 inmates at Birkenau. Auschwitz never exceeded 50,000 inmates. Auschwitz III housed around 18,000 inmates whom worked to create the chemicals that were used to kill the inmates housed at Auschwitz and Birkenau. During the history of these three camps, roughly 2.5 million Jews, Poles, Hungarians, and Gypsies. To date, it is estimated that 1.2 to 1.5 million of the 2.5 million inmates were murdered between 1941 and 1944. The deadliest period occurred from March 1944 to November 1944 when more than 585,000 Jews were gassed at Birkenau. It is difficult to grasp sheer size of Birkenau – over 1 square mile.
All hair, luggage, shoes, glasses, and other personal belongings that survived the war are on display in the bunkers of Auschwitz. One of the most disturbing sights – from my perspective – was the braids still in tact with bows. I find it difficult to comprehend that some girl/woman braided her hair one morning only to have it cut off by Nazi officials later that day, she then being sent to a crematorium for death within hours,
and yet that braid remains with us to this day. While walking the hallowed grounds of Birkenau there was a breeze that kept sending chills over my body. Whereas I welcomed this breeze due to the day’s heat (95 degrees and 85% humidity), it created an uneasy feeling in my stomach knowing that I was feeling the same breeze that 1.5 million souls experienced roughly 65 yeas-a-ago.
The experience, needless to day, was overwhelming - we just felt numb. It is, however, difficult to understand feelings/emotions due to the vast scale of the camps and number of human lives taken (1.2 – 1.5 million between 1941-1944). Regardless, these sights, sounds, feelings, and emotions will remain with us forever.
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Vickie Moore
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camp
I felt your emotions from writing. The angles of the pictures taken gave a mistical feel. A thought put the date at first of each writing. So proud of the learning. Dad leaves tomorrow, Wed @ 6:00 Mom