| Page Views: 19,818 Last Visit to Oswiecim: September, 2002 | Auschwitz-Birkenau by Paul2001 - last update: Aug 19, 2003 |
| Auschwitz-Birkenau. Gateway to Birkenau |
You have come to Oswiecim for just one reason and that is to visit the concentration camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau and to homage to nearly 2,000,000 people who were murdered here by the Nazi regime.
From the summer of 1940 to January 1945 Auschwitz and its annex camp Birkenau were the final destination for all who were targets of hatred as seen by Hitler and his followers. This included initially political enemies but soon included the Jews. About 90 per cent of those killed at these camps were in fact Jews whom Hitler believed were the source of all that was evil in the world. The killing went on until the camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army in January 1945.
Today the site has been tranformed into a museum which should be visited by all civilized people as an educational experience. Auschwitz serves as a reminder of easily a so-called civilized people can easily slip into state of barbarity when we lose ourselves in hate.
I visited Auschwitz on an unusually cool day with a thick overcast. I had a cold and generally was not feeling well. Naturally this intensified the sullen mood of the place. However the somber emotions I felt well taking a tour of Auschwitz would have hardly changed if the weather was perfect. Each exhibit is well enough displayed so as you never lose a sense despair for the people that suffered here.
I also visited Auschwitz on a tour which, is rare for me. I usually do not take tours but the one I took was quite informative. |
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 Comments for Paul2001 about Oswiecim | | | | |
Grazina Tue Apr 24, 2007 04:12 UTC
Wow! It amazing that the world didn't do anything soon to prevent this evil...Thanks to those countries that step in to save the remnant of God's people (Jewish Nation). | scottishvisitor Thu Aug 31, 2006 16:36 UTC
A sad reminder of the past & a place of warning for the future | Sue08080 Sun May 28, 2006 03:48 UTC
We visited Birkenau some years ago. I've yet to write about it. Thank you, Paul | traveldave Tue Jun 21, 2005 00:29 UTC
Although most of us usually travel for pleasure, this is an example of how travel can be a learning experience, and not necessarily pleasurable. |
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