Blogs from Auschwitz, Lesser Poland, Poland, Europe - page 3

Day 015, Saturday July 2 Today was Auschwitz. Like I said it rained, hard, the day before. Couple that with Alyssa’s foot being border line out of commission, we took it easy, bought her some new shoes (since the others were likely the culprit for the current paediatric problem) and some sweet anti water jackets (raincoats, but my way of saying it is better). We stayed in and planned the next two days with her foot up as best we could. But today, we woke up at 8 am, and at 9 a tour bus (we booked the night before) came to the front door of the hostel to pick us up. It took about an hour to get to Auschwitz from Krakow, and once we arrived you knew you were there. It was insanely busy, ... read more

Internet trouble at the apartment all week so couldn't post our pictures from our weekend trip last week to Auschwitz/Birkenau and Krakow. I'm so glad I got to see it. The pictures pretty much speak for themselves. Got through the school week fine. Took an overnight train last night after school and got to Amsterdam this morning!!! The city is beautiful. We've already taken a canal tour and walked around tons and we ate some delicious pancakes. Will post those pictures after we go back to Poland on Sunday night/Monday morning.... read more

I could have written some of this myself, however the official Holocaust website can say it better. "The Auschwitz concentration camp complex was the largest of its kind established by the Nazi regime. It included three main camps, all of which deployed incarcerated prisoners at forced labor. One of them also functioned for an extended period as a killing center. The camps were located approximately 37 miles west of Krakow, near the prewar German-Polish border in Upper Silesia, an area that Nazi Germany annexed in 1939 after invading and conquering Poland. The SS authorities established three main camps near the Polish city of Oswiecim: Auschwitz I in May 1940; Auschwitz II (also called Auschwitz-Birkenau) in early 1942; and Auschwitz III (also called Auschwitz-Monowitz) in October 1942. The Auschwitz concentration camp complex was subordinate to the Inspectorate ... read more

After packing up (which took forever in a slightly hungover state) we were in desperate need of greasy food! We made it onto the highway where we saw a glimmering sign, which was like a mirage in the desert, reading “K F C”. As we came so close to this glorious little find we veered off on the road, only to realise we had taken the wrong exit and were headed onto another highway. Tempers roared as Vince swore like a trooper and yelled in pain at the hunger that was fuelling his rage. After driving for another 20 minutes (in the wrong direction mind you) it seemed like a lifetime until we finally made it back to the start and into the KFC. More drama followed as we entered the KFC with not a skerrick ... read more

Dear Grandpa, I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau, and I learned something about you. Or rather, I learned something about humanity. I learned that men are brave, and it is the brave ones who matter. I learned that men are humane, and it is the humane ones that matter. I learned that good CAN overcome evil, and that it is the good in man that truly matters. I learned that you are the greatest man that ever lived, that you are humane, you are brave, you are a hero. It is you who is the beauty in this world. Sometimes it is hard for people to talk about the truly horrific things they have witnessed. It is hard for them to recount the things they have seen, the things they have been forced to do in order ... read more