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Published: November 7th 2006
Birkeneu Trainline
Prisoners came by train, unaware where they were going. 80% would be killed on the first night of arrival!Time for some Eastern Europe ...
So as we travelled by train from Berlin to Poland, after getting out of the city the landscape changed dramatically through the farmlands. Heading towards Poland the clouds were gathering much darker, and as we hit Poland it began to rain. The eerieness of the place was not lost on me as we travelled through small towns which all looked quite desolate, with most buildings looking well run down.
This is actually what I was thinking of Eastern Europe to be, but it still takes you back a bit seeing it, and basically seeing how people here live. As our train continued on for a few hours, we finally reached Wroclaw, which had more of a big city feel as opposed to the isloated stations and emptiness it felt. Getting out of the train I was met by Aska, who I met in England and was going to stay with. After she said goodbye to a friend of hers, her brother picked us up at the station and took us back to their place. My first look at Poland was an interesting one as it was raining heavily and becoming a bit more
Ostrow Tumski
With a view of the Cathedral of a culture shock, however in saying that it was very interesting.
After getting into their flat we got some pizza and then headed out for a little look around the Wroclaw main square area, Rynek. It was about a 30 minute tram ride, and the difference in the buildings was remarkably different to what I had seen coming in. Some beautiful architecture and again plenty of colour, just as in Scandanavia. Aska was taking me out for a few drinks, and we headed off to a few bars, a bit of bar hopping, but as we got out of one and went to another in the square there was this guy singing, but over the course of 4 hours he was always singing the same song!! So I got the impression he had a few regrets in his time, but probably not enough to stew over, but at least he did it his way! I met some of Aska's friends who came for a night out too, and after some Wyziec (Polish beer) and some Dabruvka (Polish spirits) we were well and truly on the way for a big night. I remember waking up on a bus just
Auschwitz
The fences lining the Auschwitz camp near Aska's place at about 4:30 in the morning.
After awaking with some sore heads the next day, we took our time before a typical Polish lunch in town. Aska also ordered me this warm beer with herbs and spices for me to try, but it wasn't really going down to well and not really my cup of tea. But the pork meal and added extras was really hitting the spot. From there we walked around the city, and it is a very pretty city in many parts, interesting for a place that was 70% destroyed during WWII. We took in the sites and a walk across the river to Ostrow Tumski, which is a really pretty area with a Gothic Cathedral that has a lift to the top for some great panoramic views we got as the sun began setting (at 4:00). From here we went and got something to eat, before deciding on a bar because it was so bloody cold outside!!! Ridiculous!! I was absolutely freezing and had to get in the bar as soon as possible. So we stayed there and had a few drinks during the night before heading back.
Up and at
From Cathedral
Looking down onto the Ostrow Tumski area 'em the next morning and after being made a fry up by Aska we headed into town to get on my train bound for Krakow. So I said goodbye to Aska and thanked her for the hospitality. The train was a bit different to what I was used to travelling on, more rickety and more like the old cabin styled trains ... as in Euro Trip I was waiting for the tunnels and see if an Italian man would make some sort of move, unfortunately it didn't happen.
Got into Krakow and made my way to a hostel before out exploring the city on halloween. It was a bit eerie being halloween, full moon and everything. Wandered the streets, Krakow has the largest city square in Europe ... fact! Then made my way to Wawel Castle and did a lap of it. Its an interesting city just to walk around the old town.
After an early night I was up for a day trip out to Oschiewin. Which probably doesn't mean much to many of you, but its German name probably does ... Auschwitz! After finally finding the bus terminal I was off on a 90 minute trip
onboard a run down bus. I had been to Mauthausen in Austria last year with Contiki and was sort of having an idea what to expect beforehand which helped. Getting to Aushwitz and paying for a tour, we first watched a video of the atrocities and the freeing of ''prisoners'' when the war finished. From here our tour took a shuttle out to Birkeneu, which is the largest actual concentration camp and is still part of Auschwitz. It was amazingly eerie (I know I have used that word a lot in this blog, but its the best one to use), to see the acres of land used as part of the concentration camp and the emptiness it now brings is quite something. An isolated building stands at the end of a railway where detainees were brought through, supposedly to a ''better life''. The stables that housed many still stand while many were brought down by the fleeing Nazi's, especially the gas chambers where to tried to destroy evidence of what went on.
It also happened to be a national holiday in Poland which is used by Polish people to visit the graveyards of loved ones. Therefore along the way
Bunks
How the prisoners slept we passed many graveyards that were packed with people bringing flowers and candles (it was quite a site), from this though I guess it brought many Polish Jews to Aushwitz and the place was full of Israeli flags and Jewsih people, which you may be able to see from the photos.
We toured Birkeneu and saw the immense scale of the place, it certainly a weird feeling to be standing where so many perished. So many of these were killed within an hour of arrival at the camp, only those who seemed to be able to give to manual labour or give something (themselves) to medical experiments were kept. Which is really amazing ... and we learnt so many more facts about what went on which I won't go into. But Birkeneu itself is such a huge area!!! So many huts would have stood, the Nazi's tried to burn many down and tear down evidence of what occurred there before fleeing.
From there we headed back to the smaller Auschwitz camp, and toured the buildings. The Auschwitz camp area is more of a museum these days and the Birkeneu area shows how the camp was and how it
Wroclaw Main Square
Lots of coloured buildings and some great architecture stood. Standing in one of the only remaining gas chambers is pretty startling as the tour guide lists how many people would be brought in thinking they were having a monthly shower only to have gas added and the entire room fill up with dead people within 20 minutes. Startling!
We also saw rooms galore with items the Nazis had taken off the prisoners and had either passed onto German civilians or kept for god knows what? But to see the piles of shoes, toothbrushes, bags etc is something, but then the hair the cut off all prisoners they kept!! Trying to make rugs and that out of, but there is a room with piles of the hair they found after the allied troops took back the area and freed the prisoners! Quite something.
A very interesting place, which I could actually write much more on, and probably having given enough time right now. I must also add it was absolutely freezing there!!! I can't imagine how they coped during winter with so little clothing!!! But from there got the bus back and as dusk fell seeing the graveyards people were still visiting was a different site in
Birkeneu
Train track and watch tower darkness as the orange and yellow lights of candles flickered in the darkness.
After spending the rest of the evening in Krakow, I then boarded the overnight train to Prague. Getting a bed this time (albeit just a couchette), I bunkered down for the night, before some pesky border guards would wake us up around about 1:30. But the next stop, the Czech Republic and Prague!
Its also amazing how just when you begin to pick up words and phrases in a language you leave that country, and don't have to worry about it any more!
What else I learnt in Poland is that for the Aussies out there, that our highest peak, Mount Kosciousko, is named after a Polish guy and that our pronounciation is far different from what it should be! Don't ask me to pronounce it though!
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