La Mona Danesa: "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it"

Our 3 days in Cracow were filled with different experiences. The one that gave the most impact though was visiting Auswitch and Birkenau, the two biggest concentration camps from the Second World War. It is a place that I have wanted to go, to be reminded of what happened during that war, and to be reminded, that this can NEVER happen again !!

First we visited Auswitch and the museum there. It already opened 1947, just 3 years after the last prisoners were released. The guide gave us a lot of information, and several times I got goose bumps from thinking about what had been going on here, especially with some of the details that the guide could give us.

The main gate - "Arbeit macht frei", one of the nazi's slogans. The prisoners passed this gate morning and night every day to and from work.

People from many places in Europe were deported to Auswitch

Cans that used to contain the poison that was used to kill the prisoners in the camp

Some of the luggage that the prisoners had brought here with their names on it, since they were told that they would get it back. But that was never the case, instead the nazis looked it through and took the items of value.

Prisoners' shoes

Plates and cups from the prisoners

The prisoners were not allowed to pass this sign, if they did, they would be shot immediately. Sometimes this was a way to commit suicide, but some guards would have a prisoner run there to shoot him, since the guards were rewarded with 3 days off after killing a prisoner trying to escape.

The official flag representing the victims of the holocaust, RIP

The Auswitch gas chamber seen from the outside.

Second stop was Birkenau. This camp was built by the prisoners from Auswitch, and is a huge area. It used to have 300 buildings, 5 gas chambers etc. 1.5 million people were killed here in this organized system of killing innocent people.

The main gate

Looking back at the entrance from inside the camp

An original wagon that was used to transport the prisoners here. At this specific point they were selected, those who were fit to work and those who were not. Those who were not were sent directly to the gas chamber at the end of the railway.

The end of the railway

The ruins from the main gas chambers. The nazis bombed them when they realized that they were loosing the war.

Crematorium

Chimneys symbolising the houses that used to be here.

A very tough day, but recommendable to go there and really be reminded of these cruel, cruel things that has happened not that long ago, because, I repeat, this can NEVER happen again !!

The rest of the weekend we spent wandering around the city and enjoying our get away. The first day was quiet rainy, but the last day was beautiful and sunny.