Trip to Auschwitz & Birkenau
It was a rainy day. Rather heavy rain actually. After breakfast we took the tram and bus to town where we had about five minutes to spare before our bus ride to Auschwitz.
The trip took about 1h30 but couldn’t see anything on the outside due to condensation on the windows in the wet weather. There were some very noisy English-speaking people on the bus who made their presence very felt; no prizes for guessing where they’re from.
Entry into Auschwitz was free but one pays for the video presentation and the optional tour, for which we chose the English one. It’s definitely more meaningful with a guide.
The guide was excellent as he showed us through Auschwitz then Birkenau. The latter is actually the largest camp that made up the overall Auschwitz complex. It is also referred to as Auschwitz II.
Auschwitz consisted of brick 2-storey somewhat like school blocks. When they ran low on money, the later Birkenau were long barn-like wooden blocks.
The guide gave good explanations of the awful conditions people had to endure. They were squeezed three to a bunk bed, meaning they could only sleep on their sides. Toilet could only be used at set times.
Text continues after this gallery of Auschwitz:
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- ‘ARBEIT MACHT FREI’ gate: Translates as ‘Work sets you free’.
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- Double fencing between the camp and freedom.
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- Double fencing between the camp and freedom.
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- Prisoner bunks; three people per bunk.
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- A few of those who have perished here.
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- Around Auschwitz.
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- Uncooperative prisoners were executied here.
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- Around Auschwitz.
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- Around Auschwitz.
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- Canisters for the gas that was used for mass killing.
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- Prosthetics of those who have perished.
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- Hairbrushes of those who have perished.
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- Gas chamber.
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- Furnace of a crematorium.
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- Double fencing between the camp and freedom.
We were told that from May 1940 to Jan 1945, a total of about 1.5 million people died here, 90% of which were Jews. [Edit: Wikipedia suggests 1.3 million were sent here of which 1.1 million died.]
There was quite an emphasis that it wasn’t only Jews that were held here, nor the only victims. Many prisoners weren’t Jews and in fact some Jews weren’t held but simply exterminated. Non-Jews included ethnic Poles, Roma and Soviet prisoners of war.
People were exterminated by gassing them under the pretext of a shower and/or delousing. Up to 700 victims could be gassed at any one time.
They were then cremated in mass crematoriums in the form of cremation pits and when that was insufficient, they were also burnt in the open-air. They were burning up to 20000 bodies per day.
Starting at the video at 1100, we were on our feet till leaving at 1520. It was a tiring day, probably because of the emotional element as well.
Text continues after this gallery of Birkenau:
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- The Death Gate where many prisoners arrived.
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- Prisoner bunks.
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- Prisoner toilets.
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- The Death Gate where many prisoners arrived.
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- Double fencing between the camp and freedom.
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- Ruins of crematorium.
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- Ruins of crematorium.
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- Track to the Death Gate where many prisoners arrived.
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- Birkenau; many wooden blocks are no longer standing.
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- Birkenau; many wooden blocks are no longer standing.
Evening
We had dinner at the hotel early around 1730. Kim had a pork chop which had been hammered into thin slice then fried as a schnitzel. I simply couldn’t have enough of the Polish bigos and had my final one before we leave tomorrow. We also had cabbage stuffed with a rice-based mixture that was served in a tomato soup. The boiled potatoes on the side were simple and delicious. We savoured some cherry liquer on the side.
We wandered across the road to the stadium for ice-cream and tea after dinner but had to run back in the rain.