I guess it goes back to my time at school. As a geeky 14 year old I had a couple of passions, my first being sport. I am also a massive fan of History, so much so that when choosing my options to study for GCSE I practically had my History teacher in tears, begging me to do History over PE! Luckily for my career path I chose the latter, however my interest in the historical events which have shaped our country and in a small way I guess, my life, has always been there. So I wanted to see for myself the place which has witnessed the horrors of the Second World War.
With an old school friend we flew to Krakow over the August bank holiday weekend.
Auschwitz itself is formed of two main sites open to the public for tours. Auschwitz I with its small visitor centre and guide book shop was the first stop on our journey. Armed with headsets and a small map we followed a guide around the edge of the site to the famous gates seen in films such as Schindler's List. Despite the number of visitors the site was eerily quiet, there was a distinct lack of birds singing and the sky seemed permanently grey. The buildings housed a range of people - men and women - and also were utilised for different purposes. The cells were unbelievably small, even for people of the time who didn't have the volume of food and the unhealthy lifestyles of today. Seeing the wall where people were shot, the vast quantities of belongings behind glass panels and indeed the human hair. Tears were in my eyes and whilst I held it together, many didn't. One woman in particular was quite overcome by the horrific scenes.
The gas chambers. One could see how those being led into them may not question that they were not showers. The original pipework remained. The sheer quantity of people that were killed here is still incomprehensible.
Silently we were led to a bus stop where we caught the bus to Auschwitz II (Birkenhau). A 5 minute drive brought us to another recognisable scene - the railway leading through the main arch into the camp. Again we were led around by a guide. Again we were silent. The bunks that housed 10 members of a family, the gas chambers in ruins and the railway line complete with an original carriage. All of these things added to our understanding of the events that happened there. Auschwitz II was vast, the buildings laid out in regimental rows and again surrounded by barbed wire fences over which the birds didn't fly.
Throughout our morning we felt sad yet at the same time respectful towards those that had died under this terrible regime. At times I felt angered by others who did not share this level of respect. Taking photos in the gas chambers, zooming in on the personal belongings and talking on mobile phones when in a room that evoked such sad reactions amongst most were all behaviours that others felt it acceptable to display. One wonders why they were actually there visiting in the first place!
Auschwitz has left its mark on me. Upon returning home I've read the books I bought and made it my mission to develop an even greater understanding of this period of European history. Although sad and sombre, it was one of the most interesting trips I have even taken.
