March 20, 2005

Arbeit macht frei

Auschwitz, Poland

In 1939 there were 65000 Jews living in Krakow, a quarter of the population. Only 6000 survived the war. Most of them met their fate in Auschwitz, the Nazi's largest death camp, designed with the single purpose of eliminating an entire people.

Uniquely much of this camp survived the end of the war. The size of the camp; the barracks, gas chambers, railway lines; gives a small impression of the magnitude of what occured. It's impossible to fully comprehend.

Many images remain: the piles of suitcases, the owners having written their names and addresses on the outside, packed with their most valuable possessions in the belief that they were merely being relocated; almost two tonnes of hair, some of it still braided, that was kept in storage, waiting to be sent to Germany to be turned in to suit lining; the railway tracks that run right to the edge of the gas chambers.

Seventy percent of those sent to the camp went directly to the gas chambers, including all children and pregnant women. Right to the end the deception of relocation was maintained, with false shower heads installed in the chambers.

One set of haunting photos shows new arrivals, all women and children, waiting patiently amongst the trees. They are destined for execution but the gas chambers are currently full. They will wait a few hours or a day in the cold, then take their turn, never suspected the horrific truth.

It's impossible to convey the emotion provoked by this now silent place. Walking through the barracks, seeing the photos and descriptions of what occured, many people were visibly moved, myself included.

A staggering 1.5 million people were killed at this camp. The images and feelings I will never forget.

Posted by David at March 20, 2005 07:28 AM