O/T Auschwitz

[HovaGirl]

Went last October while on a 4 day break in Krakow, and was a surreal experience. Still remember it all in great detail, and probably always will, ad some of the displays/exhibitions really helped you to understand the true scale of the place. Thought Birkenhau was well worth the short bus trip as well.

Somewhere I think everyone should try and visit, obviously not a pleasant experience, but one that's well worth the effort of going. Oh, and Krakow's a cracking city to stay while you're out there of course.

Krakow is right up there among my favourite places. Absolutely love it! Did you go to the salt mine? Fan-bluddy-tastic!

 

[Racek]

Krakow is right up there among my favourite places. Absolutely love it! Did you go to the salt mine? Fan-bluddy-tastic!

Me too. Stayed for 4 days. Loved everything about it and cant wait to go back. Although the trains are a nightmare (60k in 2 hrs)

 

[cyanide-sid]

It is an experience that you will never forget. It is hard to take it all in. When we walked through the gas chamber at Aushwitz 1 my wife broke down and I had to get her out of there. I`ve still to this day never seen her sob like that.
At first you think that you might just be being goulish but that subsides into another feeling that is hard to ever forget.

 

[Foolg]

Krakow is right up there among my favourite places. Absolutely love it! Did you go to the salt mine? Fan-bluddy-tastic!

Unfortunately not, we planned to, but ended up having to pick between the two due to a nightmare flight (Tried to land at Krakow, too foggy, and ended up wasting a day by being diverted to Warsaw, faced with a 7 hour coach journey with NO air conditioning, horrible).
Superb city, incredibly cheap, and really friendly people. What we did enjoy was a city tour we did by a young local, casually listened in about a statue in the main square and ended up 5 hours later in a cracking bar in the middle of nowhere with a few poles and 10 other English people who joined the tour. Would strongly reccommend.

 

[HovaGirl]

Thank you for that thoughtful post HG, & indeed all of you who have contributed to this thread so far. It's much appreciated.

I haven't been to Auschwitz myself, but for many years I have felt compelled to go there & pay my respects to those who suffered & died through such terrible inhumanity.

I have no idea how such an experience will impact upon me (other than significantly) - or where I will want to be or go after the event. In the end though, at least I'll be able to walk away from the place & continue living my life...

Absolutely. Do go. Auschwitz is not a place to go for pleasure, but for the soul. You don't see anything horrific, but your own imagination and the information given by the tour guides and books helps you understand what went on and why it must not be forgotten. To visit the place is to financially support the idea that civilised society must never, ever let anything like this happen again. After that, you will have a wonderful time in nearby Krakow, which is one of the loveliest cities in the world and so well worth a visit. Rynek (Market) Square is gorgeous and the Wieliczka salt mine is a fantistic visit.

 

[HovaGirl]

How do some people denied this happened?

I suppose sensible minds can accept this happened and be determined that this sort of thing must be stopped. Other minds cannot accept anything so terrible could happen in sophisticated Western society within living memory and simply refuse to believe it. Of course, they won't go there and see for themselves, but will continue to believe in the conspiracy theories about the Western allies and doctored photographs.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

Absolutely. Do go. Auschwitz is not a place to go for pleasure, but for the soul. You don't see anything horrific, but your own imagination and the information given by the tour guides and books helps you understand what went on and why it must not be forgotten. To visit the place is to financially support the idea that civilised society must never, ever let anything like this happen again. After that, you will have a wonderful time in nearby Krakow, which is one of the loveliest cities in the world and so well worth a visit. Rynek (Market) Square is gorgeous and the Wieliczka salt mine is a fantistic visit.

Many thanks for the info hon, it's greatly appreciated.

 

[The Rivet]

I suppose sensible minds can accept this happened and be determined that this sort of thing must be stopped. Other minds cannot accept anything so terrible could happen in sophisticated Western society within living memory and simply refuse to believe it. Of course, they won't go there and see for themselves, but will continue to believe in the conspiracy theories about the Western allies and doctored photographs.

Totally agree with you Hovagirl! (hi). Read somewhere today that over 70% of British school kids drop History (apparently allowed to do so) by aged 14! The content of any history that has been taught pre 14 in UK Schools is laughable. Eventually we will have kids becoming adults that believe WW1 was a conspiracy or a story made up by Grandparents.

 

[User removed 4]

I've got to say that while I found Auschwitz a sad place, it certainly didnt have the profound effect on me that it seems to have had on some others that have visited it.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Totally agree with you Hovagirl! (hi). Read somewhere today that over 70% of British school kids drop History (apparently allowed to do so) by aged 14! The content of any history that has been taught pre 14 in UK Schools is laughable. Eventually we will have kids becoming adults that believe WW1 was a conspiracy or a story made up by Grandparents.

Your basis for saying this is?

 

[The Rivet]

Your basis for saying this is?

And your basis for asking is?

 

[Racek]

Im surprised I have never heard of Schools (in my area when I was in the UK) doing trips there. Cheap country and a must see.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

And your basis for asking is?

That I am very aware that the history taught to students up to the age of 14 is generally detailed, thorough and wide-ranging. In particular, most schools devote a lot of time to WW1 and even run trips to the battlefields and cemeteries in Northern France and Belgium which tend to be very popular. So I am politely asking why you think what they are taught is a joke, and how they might not know WW1 happened...

 

[Lush]

Totally agree with you Hovagirl! (hi). Read somewhere today that over 70% of British school kids drop History (apparently allowed to do so) by aged 14! The content of any history that has been taught pre 14 in UK Schools is laughable. Eventually we will have kids becoming adults that believe WW1 was a conspiracy or a story made up by Grandparents.

That was true decades ago. When you chose/choose your O level/GCSE options at 14, you don't have to take History.

 

[The Rivet]

That I am very aware that the history taught to students up to the age of 14 is generally detailed, thorough and wide-ranging. In particular, most schools devote a lot of time to WW1 and even run trips to the battlefields and cemeteries in Northern France and Belgium which tend to be very popular. So I am politely asking why you think what they are taught is a joke, and how they might not know WW1 happened...

I have no intention of getting involved with you ATFC, suffice to say that when most 16yr olds are asked what happened at Passchendale most respond with 'what?'.......thats my experience and I am most certainly entitled to my opinion without having to defend it.

 

[The Rivet]

That was true decades ago. When you chose/choose your O level/GCSE options at 14, you don't have to take History.

Schools 'refusing to offer GCSEs in history', figures show - Telegraph

 

[severnside gull]

An experience that never leaves you although my wife couldn't face going and I totally understand why in much the same way that I struggle to watch stuff on tv about child brutality - it's not accepting or denying, just a level of despair beyond which you cannot go individually. Auswitch is terrifying but strangely uplifting with the constant reminder that people did come through to bear witness.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

I have no intention of getting involved with you ATFC, suffice to say that when most 16yr olds are asked what happened at Passchendale most respond with 'what?'.......thats my experience and I am most certainly entitled to my opinion without having to defend it.

Absolutely, but in the interests of messageboard debate and general politeness, it doesn't hurt to back up assertions such as "history taught in schools is laughable" with some sort of reason as to why you think this. Which you have done, sort of. Have a nice afternoon.

 

[The Rivet]

You too ATFC

 

[house your seagull]

i went to auschwitz on the most glorious of summer days, and the juxtaposition perhaps softened the realities of the place.

one thing i remember distinctly was the railway lines all over oswiecim, overgrown and hidden to the side of quiet roads.

to me these dormant tracks really hit hard, it made me consider the design of the camp, the location ... if it wasn't a big railway junction it wouldn't have been there.

perhaps it's from watching Schindlers List but the train aspect sends chills down my spine. that they transported people from as far as spain and norway, and that they travelled in via these overgrown railway lines that you can still see in the surrounding neighbourhoods, part-hidden, that aren't part of the museum, that's what got me.