Poland (2)

When I was in Poland I visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps. Every time I sat down to write a blog about the second part of my trip I felt overwhelmed and unable to organize my emotions about this intense experience. Now, several weeks later, I feel prepared to blog about the concentration camps responsible for 1.1 million deaths in the Holocaust. 90% of those who died were Jewish.

“Work will set you free.” How many times have we all seen this gate? We’ve seen it on the pages of history books, in the background of WW2 movies, and information pamphlets about the holocaust. It seems the image is ingrained into our memories as a symbol evoking sadness, pain and compassion.  In class we learn how many of the camp’s victims believed the saying—they thought if they worked hard they would be set free. But we all know what met so many on the other of that gate: torture, gas chambers, slavery, starvation, disease and inhumanity. As I walked through that gate I immediately got the chills. I could not help but think of all the people who walked through that gate confused, scared and hungry. I could not help but think of all the people who walked through that gate and never got to walk out. Thoughts raced through my head. My stomach dropped. I was in Auschwitz.

Since 1947 the concentration camp has been arranged as a museum. Each building is dedicated to explaining some aspect of the camp. There was one building that showed the living quarters of prisoners of Auschwitz. It was sickening to see a small room and read that over 1,000 people used to sleep there. I could not even picture how 100 people could sleep in that room let alone 1000. Another building displayed “evidence” of the crimes committed by Nazis at Auschwitz. The Nazis tried extremely hard to cover up the true nature of death camps, causing some to believe the holocaust did not actually occur. The proof in the museum is designed to leave no question in anyone’s mind as to the atrocities committed there. This was one of the most unsettling parts of the tour. The “evidence” was displayed as rooms full of hair shaved off victims, glasses, shoes, suitcases, toothbrushes, walking canes and other personal effects. I had to sit down. I had read countless books and historical accounts of how the Nazis dehumanized their prisoners, but seeing an entire room filled with hair shaved off victims was more intense than anything I imagined. I also began to feel so angry that this room was called “evidence.” How could someone not believe the holocaust happened?

(This picture is of the remains of the chamber at Birkenau.)

Other parts of the museum displayed history of the victims and survivors, history of the Polish resistance against the Nazis and history of the different countries that lost people at Auschwitz. I saw walls where thousands of people were shot, poles where thousands of people were hung and gas chambers where millions of people perished. I wanted to shut my eyes and stop seeing everything around me. My heart did not stop racing the whole time. 

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to visit Auschwitz. As a Jewish individual, as a person of Polish decent, as a history major and as a citizen of the world I cannot think of a more educational place to visit. Visiting Auschwitz is not only important for remembering the holocaust and honoring those who died there, but it is important for learning compassion and awareness. 

As we were leaving the camp, our tour guide said something very moving. “After visiting Auschwitz you must realize that any hardness you encounter in your life will be nothing compared to what those who were here experienced. You must appreciate each day you live freely and realize how fortunate you are.”