From Kraków, it is about one hour to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest concentration camp during the Nazi regime. We decided on a half-day guided tour, as getting there by public transport is somewhat complicated. We visited both Auschwitz I (the original camp) and Auschwitz II (Birkenau).
Auschwitz
Our first stop was Auschwitz, a medium-sized complex composed of rows of red brick barracks, each displaying different horrific events that occurred there. Most of the barracks contained images and information about what went on in the camp, while some showed the thousands of suitcases, shoes, glasses, and even human hair the Nazis confiscated and piled up.
One of the barracks exhibits the Dutch occupation in World War II, where around 80% of the Jewish population did not survive. Auschwitz serves as an introduction of what went on, and is set-up more as a museum, while in Auschwitz II, or Birkenau, you could really see the horrific conditions under which the prisoners had to live. Birkenau is located about ten minutes from Auschwitz and is much, much bigger.
Birkenau
Walking along the train tracks through the big red brick entrance sends a chill down your spine, as you see how enormous this concentration camp is, and you imagine how many people had to go through such inhumane treatment. Over one million people died in the camp during the Second World War. Walking along the middle of the camp, we came at a crossroads where the doctor decided, with a single glance, who was going to die immediately, and who was going to work himself to death. Most women and children were steered in the direction of the gas chamber, being told that they were going to the “family camp.” It was heartbreaking to hear that people came here thinking they were starting a new life, while in reality they were being marched into gas chambers.
We continued our walk towards the monument area, covered with one million cobblestones; one for each victim. Looking at the vastness of the camp, it was quite difficult to believe the sheer number of people that were killed here. We walked next to the gas chambers, where people were killed in about 20-minutes by the Zyklon B gas, and next to the ovens where the bodies were burned. As if this wasn’t inhumane enough, the prisoners were stripped of everything: suitcases, gold teeth, hair, everything.
Our next stops were the barbaric housing and bathroom facilities for the people who were strong enough to work. The housing was composed of three-story bunk beds, where six people (sometimes even more) were crammed in per level. Bathroom usage was only twice a day, and combined with being underfed with expired food, and poor sanitation caused the already crammed sleeping quarters to be even worse.
Eventually, the Soviet Army liberated the camp, however, the trauma the people underwent was something that could never be moved on from.
