Auschwitz Death Camp: Suddenly a True Reality

Auschwitz was a network of concentration and extermination camps built and operated in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. It was the largest of the German concentration camps, consisting of Auschwitz I, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, and Auschwitz III.

Auschwitz is the German name for Oświęcim, the town in and around which the camps were located; it was renamed by the Germans after they invaded Poland in September 1939. Birkenau, the German translation of Brzezinka (birch tree), refers to a small Polish village nearby that was mostly destroyed by the Germans to make way for the camp.

The events that took place in this incredibly large "campus," is unbelievable. After stepping on the grounds, I realized how real and true the Holocaust was.  All I kept saying was, "I can't believe my grandparents and great grandparents were back in Chicago living a 'normal' life."  To be honest, it almost seems like these horrible events took place in the 1800s.  Incredibly enough, these camps were open up to spectators only TWO years after it was liberated.  The spirits, events, artifacts, objects, and smell is still obvious today.

Many people couldn't understand my excitement for getting to see Auschwitz, and many people were a little too weak to handle it (which is slightly understandable). But with that being said, I find it to be a tragedy if people my age who are studying abroad in this part of Europe do not experience this for themselves. In the 1930's Jewish people walked the streets of Austria, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Poland, Germany, and so many other countries nearby.  And 10 years later, nearly 17 million were killed.

My pictures will speak for themselves:

The main gate saying, "With work comes freedom." This was not only false advertisement, but an intentional misleading statement

In this camp, Jews, Poles, Gypsies, Soviet Prisoners of war, other ethnic groups (including some Africans)

The chemical used in the gas chambers- these were a SMALL decimal of the canisters found upon liberation

Multiple eyeglasses collected.

Luggage taken away.

Baby Clothes: probably the closest I came to crying.

Shoes

And more shoes.

View from outside a barrack (a nicer one) window

The normal barracks...(not so nice)

A sign that says "STOP." As if a person didn't know by the electrical wires blocking them in. 

The tracks....no caption needed.

We were there on All Saints Day. RIP.

The Crematories

Inside of a barrack....

Toilets....just imagine.

These camps were massive in size and tragedy.

The events that occurred during WWII will never go unspoken, unnoticed, or ignored in my household as I get older. This time in history is not only incredibly tragic, but an interesting time to read about and attempt to understand.