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Oświęcim

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    • Scandinavia Eurotrip 2023
      Day 61

      Poland: Auschwitz

      September 10, 2023 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

      This is probably one of the most sobering places that anyone could ever wish to go to. I've read many nonfiction and fiction books on this place as I've always tried to understand how human beings could do such things to one another. I think- since leaving here- I've been left with more questions than answers. It's an absolutely mortifying place. One would expect it to be so, but it was even more so than I imagined. The only way in which it is 'interesting', is to see how carefully the sadistic Nazis planned this, the macabre systems put in place to murder people on an en masse basis and the lengths they went to to hide their crimes. Everything was planned for from the start for their Final Solution to the 'Jewish Problem'. For example, all the death camps were built in Poland and not Germany for fear of reprisal from the German civilian population if they ever found out. Poland was also selected as it had the largest Jewish community in Europe at the time (over 3mil Jewish people). They chose Oswiecim (the town in Poland germanised to 'Auschwitz') for its excellent train transport links to the whole of Europe. They cleared a 10km radius around the camps so no one would know what was going on ie the only people intended to leave the camp were the SS officers. The list goes on. As tragic as this place is, I do think it is almost a place that everyone should visit. Empathy, integrity and respect were completely lacking in this place and visiting this foul place reinforces the fact that EVERYONE is deserving of these attributes. Sorry, some of the images are sadly quite disturbing, but people need to understand the horror of this place so as not to forget one of the worst events of history.Read more

    • ToietmoiegalvoyageTour d’Europe
      Day 197

      191ème étape ~ Auschwitz

      February 15, 2023 in Poland

      Nous avons visité les camps de concentration et d’extermination de Auschwitz I et Auschwitz II-Birkenau. Les horreurs qui se sont déroulées là bas de 1940 à 1945 sont d’une inhumanité sans nom. Ces lieux chargés d’histoire sont entièrement placés sous les signes de l’hommage et de la mémoire pour toutes les victimes.
      Nous avons eu la chance d’avoir une guide en français qui nous a montré les différents endroits et expliqué le fonctionnement de ces endroits.
      Le chemin de la mort qu’ont traversé toutes les victimes est absolument inimaginable. Les lieux, inoccupés, ont l’air paisible, on peut difficilement s’imaginer les conditions dans lesquelles ils vivaient.
      Nous sommes entrés dans un bloc où étaient logés environ 750 femmes, les lits superposés sur 3 étages, le premier directement à même le sol, trop chaud en été, trop froid en hiver.
      Les allemands ont tout fait pour se faciliter la vie, ils ont construit des rails pour que les trains arrivent directement dans les camps, menti aux prisonniers de A à Z notamment en leur demandant d’attacher leurs chaussures ensemble, en leur promettant une meilleure vie, en leur vendant des maisons, des magasins.
      C’était un moment intéressant, nous avons beaucoup appris même si la tristesse a accompagné notre découverte.
      En hommage à toutes les victimes de l’Holocaust.      Read more

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    • Be KyanPolónia 2019
      Day 4

      Auschwitz

      September 26, 2019 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      É possível passar um dia em Auschwitz sem pagar uns 40 a 80 euros para um tour. Mas é verdade que não ouves a explicação dos guias, apesar disso e pelo facto de conhecermos razoavelmente bem essa época conseguimos acompanhar a visita e perceber o que aconteceu na segunda guerra mundial, neste lugar.

      A primeira parte, em Auschwitz Birkenau, o ambiente é um pouco mais leve do que estava a espera, passámos pelos dormitório, os sanitários comuns, o "corredor da morte", os crematórios completamente destruidos no final da guerra para não deixar vestígios das atrocidades, o tratamento das águas para o campo de concentração, o Canadá, local onde mantinham todos os pertences de quem entrou neste campo, que foi posteriormente queimado, mais uma vez para não deixar vestígios.

      Ao final da tarde fomos, ao museu de Auschwitz, ou seja à primeira parte do campo de concentração, pelos vistos a partir das 16h não se paga. Mas a visita é muito forte, mesmo sem guia, quando começamos a passar pelos sítios onde eles eram executados, os restos das suas roupas permanecem nos locais, onde dormiam uns em cima dos outros, as condições sanitárias, as histórias, as milhares de fotos de pessoas que morreram.
      Toda essa envolvencia, traz um sentimento de revolta, de raiva, de impotência relativamente a acontecimentos que são tão recentes mas por outro lado parecem tão longínquos, que conseguimos passear por estes corredores de tortura e morte e ainda assim rirmos com as nossas palhaçada do dia a dia.      Read more

    • TravelerOsten 2023
      Day 9

      Breslau - Gleiwitz - Auschwitz

      May 26, 2023 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      Fahrt von Breslau über kleine Strassen in Richtung Oppeln und weiter durch Oberschlesien bis Gleiwitz. Dort Besichtigung des Radiosender's und danach weiter durchs Industrie und Bergwerksgebiet Kattowitz bis Auschwitz.Read more

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    • TravelerPolen 2024
      Day 12

      Auschwitz-(Birkenau)

      May 14, 2024 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

      Nach dem ich gestern erfolglos nach einem Stellplatz auf dem Weg hierher gesucht habe , habe ich auf einem kleinen Parkplatz um die Ecke des Besucherzentrums übernachtet. Den Vormittag habe ich mir die Zeit mit ein zwei kleinen Reperaturen vertrieben, da die gebuchte Führung erst um 14.45 begann. Ich hab keine Ahnung wie man sich auf diese Erfahrung vorbereitet kann, ich war nicht sicher, ob das machbar für mich ist.
      Die Sicherheits-und Besucherregeln sind verständlicherweise sehr streng, Kontrolle wie am Flughafen, natürlich hatte ich ein Taschenmesser in der Tasche, das zurückgebracht werden musste.

      Es ist wirklich schwierig zu beschreiben, wie es sich das Grauen das an diesem Ort stattfand anfühlt. Deshalb ein paar Fakten die mir nicht mehr so klar waren:
      80% der Deportierten waren kürzer im Lager als die Führung dauerte (3,5 h).
      Von 230000 deportierten Kindern wurden 700 befreit.
      Dort wurden 1941 schon vor der Wannseekonferenz Menschen vergast.
      In den ersten drei Jahren wurden die Menschen noch fotografiert, danach tätowiert.
      An der schwarzen Wand wurden auch Kriminelle aus den Polizeistationen des Umlands erschossen. Diese mussten vorher zum Teil am Tag arbeiten und nachts im Keller auf 90 mal 90 cm zu viert mit einen winzigen Luftschacht ausharren.

      Nach zwei Stunden war ich körperlich, mental und emotional so erschöpft, dass ich mir die Busfahrt nach Birkenau gespart habe.
      Am beklemmendsten war es in der Gaskammer, es ist so beängstigend zu sehen wozu die Menschen fähig sind.      Read more

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    • TravelerKrakau 2024
      Day 2

      Workshops im Museum

      June 3, 2024 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

      Nach kurzer Fahrt erreichen wir das Museum für unsere Workshops. Wir beschäftigen uns mit den Artefakten des Lagers den Lebensläufen der SS und der Bedeutung von Auschwitz. Nach einem kurzen Vortrag werden dazu in Gruppenarbeit Quellen ausgewertet. Gegenüber der eindrücklichen Ausstellungen und Führungen allerdings kommt das nur eingeschränkt an, und die Veranstaltungen lassen Zug vermissen - was eben passiert, wenn Leute, die keine ausgebildeten Lehrkräfte sind, Unterricht machen. Dazu sind die Resultate solche, die man wieder korrigieren muss. Das ist sicher der verzichtbarste Punkt des heutigen Tages.Read more

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    • TravelerEast Europe Tour
      Day 3

      Auschwitz Birkenau

      October 19, 2024 in Poland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

      Unfortunately, all tickets were sold out, so there was no entry for us. I had no idea about the ticketing system and didn't research much 🙄. So, we decided to walk from the museum to the other prison area. It’s surreal to see in real life what we’ve all watched in films and documentaries—another inhuman chapter of history, like many others, due to the Nazis. It was a half-hour walk from the museum area to Auschwitz-Birkenau. We decided to walk as we had already paid for parking and didn’t want to drive too much. On our way back, we took the bus, which is actually meant for people who bought tickets, but the bus driver was generous enough to let us on. I find Polish people to be friendly, as this isn’t my first time in Poland. Maybe one day, I’ll come back to see it from the inside.Read more

    • TravelerBig Ol Holiday
      Day 53

      Tour Day 4 - Driving to Poland

      July 12, 2023 in Poland ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

      Today was another early start and we jumped on the bus headed for Poland. It was a quiet and snoozy coach ride. We stopped for lunch at a Czechia shopping centre which is very similar to Australian shopping centre food courts but the menu is all in Czech. We did a lap and asked a few tour members what they ate. One couple got liver accidentally which spooked me. However Erin went with sushi and I miraculously got chicken fried rice. We got back on the bus after I took a picture of the sign showing you can't bring your pig into the centre. We drove again for a while and our guide talked about the Holocaust as we were headed to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
      We got there and it was busy but we had our own tours organised. There was a lot of security to get through then we met our guide who was lovely. It was such an intense experience seeing the camp artifacts, photos and hearing the stories of the atrocities that happened. There was two sites and they were both overwhelming but incredible to be able to experience. We both felt so emotionally drained and it was interesting to see other tour members reactions. It really reminds me of how lucky we as as Australians to be able to travel and live so freely, but also makes me sad that humans around the world still live in fear of a similar situation happening to them.
      We jumped back on the bus, watching some episodes of selling sunsets to repair the spirits. Finally after a long day we arrived at the hotel and had dinner. We sat next to a mother and son pair from Canada. Darlene told us she was 82 and I was honestly geniunely shocked, she looks bloody amazing and is so active. They were so lovely. We got back to our room and went to sleep quickly.      Read more

    • TravelerRoad trip lau mcli
      11
      Day 10

      AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU

      August 7, 2023 in Poland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

      Nous avons visité ces camps par un temps pluvieux et froid avec l'atmosphère lourde qui s'y prête.
      Pas de commentaire sur l'indescriptible et l'horreur de ces deux lieux.
      Une chose est sûre les mots humains et dignité n'existaient plus passé ces murs.
      QU'ILS REPOSENT EN PAIX 🙏🙏🙏🙏      Read more

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    • Summer of 23
      1

      Day 44 - Auschwitz Memorial & Museum

      August 22, 2023 in Poland ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

      Today we got up early, had breakfast in the apartment to go to the bus station, we are off to see and pay respects to Auschwitz-Birkenau.

      We got told yesterday the bus was at 7:25am, today the bus is now at 8:05am and gets us to Auschwitz at 9:19am… our tour starts at 9:30am, should be fine.
      While waiting for the bus, I opted to buy an obwarzanek, it’s a bagel that the dough is boiled for 10seconds in 65degree water.
      Then I decided to start googling, and no our bus gets in at 9:30am… So the bus trip was a wee bit panicky as we had a 6hour tour and they only do one a day. We got to Auschwitz at 9:35am, talked to the desk and we got escorted to our group thankfully, we only missed an 8 minute intro video.

      We spent 3 hours in Auschwitz going through the blocks and exhibitions. As we were on the longer tour we got to see Block 3, the most untouched block showing the living conditions in the camp.
      After a half n hour break we got on the bus to Auschwitz II-Birkenau which takes 10 minutes. We spent 2.5hours here on the grounds. Birkenau was mostly destroyed by the Nazi’s before liberation day and the old blocks torn down by returning locals, as the Nazi’s had destroyed their brick houses to build the Blocks, so the locals started using what was at Birkenau.

      After the tour it was a bit too process what we had heard and seen, though our Polish guide spoke very fast which somewhat helped that we didn’t have enough time to fully comprehend exactly what we were being told at times.
      We rode the bus back to Krakow, I was pretty exhausted so caught a nap while Katie decided to film me…

      We got back to the apartment and got freshened up and headed for dinner. Another recommendation from the guide yesterday, Resyauracja Cechowa, another traditional restaurant. The food in Poland is amazing!

      After dinner we walked through Market Square, stopping to watch the lightning around us light up the night sky. We got some gelato and went back to the accomodation.      Read more

    You might also know this place by the following names:

    Oświęcim, Oswiecim, Auschwitz, Освиенцим, Οσβιέτσιμ, אושוויינצ'ים, オシフィエンチム, 오시비엥침, Osvecimia, Osvencimas, Osvencima, ओश्फिन्चिम, Освенцим, Osvienčim, אשפעצין, 奥斯威辛

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