I awoke to another beautiful day in Poland. This morning I finished writing the article for yesterday and uploaded it to the blog. Uploading the photos was very slow, especially for the video.
Auschwitz is sixty-nine kilometers or about fifty-six miles from Krakow. It was a beautiful ride through the country. I am amazed at how clean Poland is, it is so much different than Ukraine. The buildings are maintained, painted and clean. They have beautiful manicured lawns, both in Krakow and the country.
We arrived at Auschwitz and the first thing we see is a sign stating, ‘Auschwitz Museum.’ This struck me differently; I found it almost offensive. The guide did not explain to us what was happening, I felt overwhelmed and lost, I suppose like the people who were brought into Auschwitz on the cattle cars (train cars). She gathered us together and herded us into an area to give us headphones and receivers. We were briefly introduced to our Auschwitz guide who instructed us to set our receivers to channel 1 and we were on our way.
We were given several other instructions. Smoking and eating is not allowed at Auschwitz. We were also told to be courteous and considerate of the memory of those who lost their lives there. We were instructed not to talk or smile during the tour.
I do not know how much knowledge you have about the Germans and the concentration camps, so please bear with me. My group was fairly uneducated of the how and whys. The guide made the statement ‘As people learn about what happened at Auschwitz; we will be able to change history.’ My thoughts turned to the persecution of Christians today and how it will worsen in the last days.
Satan has attempted to wipe out God’s chosen people from the very beginning, when God made the statement that the Messiah would come from the seed of Eve. He has tried to thwart God’s plan and kill the Messiah throughout the ages. Can you count the number of times; beginning with the Nephilim?
This camp was originally built for Polish prisoners and then expanded to contain Russian prisoners as well. Then with Hitler’s plan of purifying the world, it became a death sentence for the Jewish race.
We entered the camp and stopped at the first barrack where people were registered. Out of the million plus Jews brought to Auschwitz only about 2,000 were registered. The majority of Jewish people were marched straight to the gas chambers. Next to this structure was the arch under which they passed. The sign read ‘Work is the way to freedom.’
We walked down rows of barracks that contained prisoners in the past. These barracks now contain some of their photographs and personal items. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take photos inside the buildings. There were many photographs telling the story of Auschwitz.
I had a difficult time viewing the two tons of hair which was on display. When the Jews entered Auschwitz their hair was shaved off. In fact when they discovered the hair after the Nazi’s evacuation, the hair still contained some of the gas they used for delousing. They had a bolt of material made from the hair. The material was used to make socks for the German soldiers being it was a very warm material.
There were shoes, suitcases, combs, shaving brushes, even toothbrushes on display. We saw household dishes, covers for bottles and jars, legal identification papers, and arrest papers. Seeing the children’s photographs, clothes and toys was very difficult to see and absorb.
There were several prison uniforms on display, with a winter coat, which looked like light cotton. The prisoner’s wooden shoes were displayed. When the prisoners arrived at the camp, they were forced to leave their personal belongings on the train deck. They were herded into two lines, men in the first line and women and children in the other line. A German soldier would stand there and point the direction or fate of that person. Usually the women and children were sent directly to the gas chambers. Those able to work were spared for the moment from the gas chambers.
Women had a very difficult time adjusting to this lifestyle and the majority passed away within two to eight weeks after their arrival. The children were unable to work and considered useless, the same was true for the elderly and the handicapped. These people were considered useless and valueless and were sent directly to the gas chambers. I cannot imagine this, I have a grandson who has special needs, he is the most lovable child and yet if he had been brought to Auschwitz his condition was a death sentence.
They had a display of talits. The guide walked right past them without a word. I was shocked! I complained on the survey they asked to me fill out. Maybe my heart is too sensitive toward the Jew and their beliefs.
We viewed the firing wall where thousands of men lost their lives. We toured the building where the court was held and the men were condemned to die by the firing squad. We saw the room where the women undressed and waited to be executed. The condemned were brought out two by two and made to kneel facing the wall. They were shot in the back of the head. Polish soldiers who had been found guilty would stand and face their accusers; who shot them in the forehead. The guide told us the ground was stained with blood fifty feet away from the wall.
The firing wall was located between two buildings, the court building also known as block 11, which had a jail in the basement and the hospital housing women and children on the other side. On this building there were wooden slats covering the windows. I am sure the slats did not muffle the sounds of the guns or screams.
The prisoners called the hospitals a death wish. No one wanted to go to the hospital. I will not cover the medical atrocities that were committed there.
We were taken to Birkenau, and only allowed to visit two of the barracks. Both barracks were holding barracks where prisoners were held for the first two months of their stay. It was ironic that there were metal rings attached to the walls. The barracks were originally built to house fifty horses not thousands of people.
Needless to say, we were emotionally exhausted. Returning to my hotel, I tried to write, but could not even think. I tried to relax and fell asleep for about two hours; Auschwitz is very oppressing.
In the evening, I went out to the garden to write and connect to the internet. I met a couple of people and we talked until midnight. The gal is from Poland and the gentleman lives in Welsh, he is a Jew. Our conversation is story for another day.
...hard to even say anything...
ReplyDelete