Aushwitz and Birkenau: Emotions Running High

I have been putting off writing this post, and I think it's because it's still difficult for me to process everything I saw that day in Poland. I do not regret going, because it was a very meaningful experience, but it is hard to describe it all in words. This post will be mostly pictures instead, since a picture says 1000 words. Hopefully this gives you a taste of what I saw that day

It was cloudy and cool that day, which set the tone for a somber occasion. I'm not trying to put anyone off of visiting concentration camps in Europe, just be prepared if you go, to feel overwhelmed.

Entrance to Auschwitz

The wooden structure on the right is where the Nazi guard would stand for roll call each day. The photo is taken from where the prisoners would stand.

Sleeping quarters for prisoners. 6-8 people would sleep on each level.

The killing wall. This is where countless prisoners were shot. It is now a memorial to those who died.

The view from the shooting wall

The Auschwitz museum had collections of different items that were seized by the Nazis when prisoners entered the camps. This photo shows some of the many crutches and prosthetic limbs that were taken. This one hit me hard just trying to imagine the physically disabled losing their crutches and aids. It was basically just a death sentence to them all since they could not work.

Some of the shoes that were collected by the Nazis. These used items were of more value to the Nazis than the people who once owned them.

Birkenau toilets.

 The photo above shows the bathroom facility for the prisoners of Birkenau. Auschwitz was a work camp, but Birkenau was more where people came to die. Prisoners were given 30 seconds to use these washrooms only twice per day. A lot of prisoners were sick and would have the runs, but they could only use this twice in a day. It was heart-breaking to see this. Some of the prisoners' jobs were to clean out these washrooms, with their bare hands. They were only given a short amount of time to wash their hands in running water, no soap.

Living quarters at Birkenau

These bunks would each have 8-10 prisoners, each prisoner sleeping on  a plank of wood. Before the war this building was a horse stable. Just goes to show what the Nazis thought of the Jews.

In between these tracks is where the sorting would take place. One side of the camp was the death side, the other side was for the fit and was the work side, but both lead to eventual death.

Before the camps were liberated, the Nazis attempted to hide the evidence of gas chambers by blowing them up. This is the rubble of one of the 4 chambers found at Birkenau.

A part of the memorial set up at Birkenau in remembrance of  those who suffered and died in the camps.

At the end of an emotional day, Cath and I decided to debrief and bring in some light and enjoyment to close off our Poland leg. Seeing as we both love the piano and Chopin, we found a cheap concert that included wine and this guy playing piano for us in a small, intimate setting. He was fantastic, the wine was delicious, and we were able to get over what we had seen that day and move on to our next destination with renewed vigor. I think we will always carry a piece of this experience in Poland with us. It is one thing to read the stories in books, but to see for yourself where the mass-killings took place is a whole other experience.

Take-home message: We are blessed.