"Auschwitz - A production line of death" Oswiecim by jo104

Oswiecim Travel Guide: 405 reviews and 858 photos

It has taken me some time to do a write up on my visit to Auschwitz, it was an opportunity for me to pay my respects for the pointless deaths of over a million Jews, Poles, Gypsies and Soviet prisoners of war.

When I decided to visit the museum and memorial of Auschwitz-Birkenau I realised that a lot of people simply are unable to bring themselves to visit a place of such horrific historical tradegy. This is the reason I have decided to share my experiences on VT, to quote George Santanyana "Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." How sad it is that this is true humanity has not learnt from the mistakes of the past and there is still mass genocide taking place in this modern day and age - will man ever learn.

If you do plan on visiting the memorial of Auschwitz, I would suggest you do some pre-reading on the subject of the holocaust. I have made some suggestions of books I found helpful in preparing myself.

Please be respectfull of the situation and the somber enviroment, DO NOT TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OR VIDEO INSIDE THE EXHIBITIONS, this particularly annoyed me as it is specifically not allowed and this is clearly stated. Rather purchase some postcards and give some money back to the museum.

The museum recommends that children under the age of 14 years do not visit the memorial, personally I would agree that Aushwitz is not a place for young children the exhibits display gruesome images. When we visited there were groups of school children who even at an older age did not treat the grounds of Auschwitz with the respect it deserves.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:A stark reminder of past mistakes

Last visit to Oswiecim: Oct 2007
Intro Updated Nov 13, 2008
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Reviews (14)

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Block 6 - Haunting images Things to Do (6)

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Block 6 - Identification Things to Do (6)

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Transportation (2)
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Comments (5)

johngayton Feb 22, 2010 at 4:15 PM Report Abuse

This is a good page Jo and very sympathetic. I think this isn't the sort of place for tipping on VT but you do have it almost right with the info you give. It's a horrible place that MUST be visited just to sink home what went on, and so understandably.
breughel Feb 7, 2010 at 7:09 AM Report Abuse

Hello Jo, preparing my trip to the Krakow meeting I read here your comments which show much respect and emotion.
matcrazy1 Jul 15, 2009 at 4:50 AM Report Abuse

Thank you this page and very good info. I haven't read If this is a man by Primo Levi but I will now.
travelfrosch Sep 13, 2008 at 5:32 PM Report Abuse

Thank you for a sober and well-researched account of your visit here. I occasionally get the odd email about my visit to Dachau (and tip without photo), implying that it was a hoax. I think your answer of sending a postcard is perfect. - Mark
blint Apr 21, 2008 at 1:40 AM Report Abuse

It seems you have read some Holocaust literature. I can recommend more if you like. I would feel very angry if I saw school kids behaving like the ones you did there! How disrespectful and ignorant.