Auschwitz-Birkenaus, Poland

Between 1941 & 1945, the most notorious concentration camp for the Nazi's was here.  

Auschwitz actually has two parts: Auschwitz I, in the village of Oświęcim, and Auschwitz II, or Birkenau.   Auschwitz I is where there are indoor museum exhibits in all the former prison buildings.  Auschwitz II, or Birkenau, has no museums, it is just the concentration camp (or what remains).

Before WWII this camp was a base for the Polish army - that explains why it was here and why Hitler didn't have to build it, he just took it over.  In 1942 it became a death camp.  At the time of liberation, at least 1.1 million people had been murdered here (960,000 of those were Jews).

The saying below "Arbeit Macht Frei" translates into Work Sets you Free.  Check out the letter B and how it was welded on upside down.  It was welded on by inmates, exercising their own rebellion about what was happening to them!

Above are just some of the buildings.  Each building has
a museum dedicated to the prisoners who were held here (Poland, Roma, Czech & Slovak, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Dutch Jews, Jews).  This place is HUGE!!!  I was shocked when we began walking around, I honestly had no idea!

The saying "Nations who forget their own history are sentenced to live it again" is everywhere, reminding us why we have these memorials and why we visit them.  It is to remember.

While we were there it began to snow, which made it all the more real and all the more tragic in my mind.  Poland is cold!!  I mean really cold!!  Watching my kids run around in snow pants, snow boots, a snow coat, with gloves and a hat made me mourn those prisoners who had rags to keep them warm.  

At one point there was a hall of prisoners pictures with the date they entered the camp followed by the date of their death.  Some didn't last the day or the week, others only lasted a month or two, while others lasted maybe a year.  Anne Frank was here, while her father was sent to Auschwitz II, or Birkenau.

Now Auschwitz II, or Birken

The famous view with the train tracks leading to the main building into the camp.  

 I actually wasn't able to go inside here.  My husband went inside while I stayed in the car with our kids, specifically our 10 year daughter.  At the end of Auschwitz I our daughter wasn't going inside the buildings/museums with us anymore, she was completely devastated about what had taken place.  She couldn't talke about it or look at any more pictures.  I couldn't possibly force her to go to Auschwitz II when the first part was so difficult on her sweet heart.