Blogs from Auschwitz, Lesser Poland, Poland, Europe - page 10

Auschwitz is a place I am glad I went to but I can't put it to words, as of yet, what it was like to be there. Maybe at some point I will up date this blog, but at this point I can not put it to words. It was powerful seeing that horrible place, it seems like it was a dream now. My body just wanted to shut down and stop feeling the horrors of the place. Here are a few pictures most are from Birkenau (Auschwitz II).... read more

I’ve read about it in books and watched it in movies but nothing can compare to the reality of being there. I don’t even know where to begin writing about the experience. The day I spent at Auschwitz is something that will take a lifetime to process. It put an entirely new dimension on something that I have heard about my entire life. When I walked out of the camp that day any doubt that something like that could have actually happened was removed from my mind. But it wasn’t so much like I ever doubted it, it was just that believing something like that really happened is almost impossible to do. But after having been there; after seeing the countless belongings that remained: luggage, shoes, hair, braces and canes; having walked down the same path ... read more

Auschwtiz and Brikenau How can I describe the indescribable? I do not believe I can, so I will not try. Rather I will write just a few words and then let the pictures I took speak. I had forgotten that Auschwitz was an old Polish army base. Thus, all the buildings are brick. I thought the barracks were all of wood, but the wooden barracks were built at Brickenau. Brickenau, a much larger camp, was built when the Nazis decided that Auschwtiz was too small and too inefficient. Auschwitz had two small furnaces that could only cremate six bodies at one time. The Nazis would cram several hundred people into the “shower room,” kill them with poisonous gas and then it took three days to cremate all the bodies. Brickenau had four large furnaces that were ... read more

During the summer of 2003 I traveled through Eastern Europe. My travels took me to many places where the darkness of recent history was remembered. The Occupation Museum in Riga, the KGB Head Quarters in Vilnius and the whole of Warsaw s Old Town - so much was lost to Europe in the wars, both hot and cold, that ripped through the last century. Auschwitz one of the most well known places steeped in tragedy from the second world war. 60 km's from Krakow, many hostels organise day trips and public transport is also available. The two camps slaughtered around two million people, more people than I will ever meet or maybe even see. The numbers were vast, 27 nationalities, 90% of the victims were jews. Most of the camp remains, though only one crematori remains, ... read more