Auschwitcz concentration camp

Has anyone on the forum ever visited auschwitcz concentration camp

Been watching on TV over the last few days , I know it's a place where people

Don't like to talk about but I am thinking of going over to see for myself,

Just feel I have to go

Our school organised a trip back in '96, unfortunately my parents could not afford the 150 guilders or however much it was.

From what I heard from the other kids it was very impressive. I did visit Kamp Westerbork in the Netherlands numerous times, also worth going to.

When i served in the RAF Regiment, we used to have many military excersises in Germany in the 90's, I remember specificly whilst on excersise in and around Belsen we were forbidden from digging in trenches etc, due to not knowing what we might uncover, there were many horrific stories of troops on excersise in the past that happened upon undocumented/unmarked mass graves. It really does not seem possible that such attrocities occured on such a mass scale, until you see some of the places for real, TV documetries really struggle to convey the sheer scale of these places

Our school organised a trip back in '96, unfortunately my parents could not afford the 150 guilders or however much it was.

 

From what I heard from the other kids it was very impressive. I did visit Kamp Westerbork in the Netherlands numerous times, also worth going to.

Had never heard of that place but just looked it after seeing your post. Thanks for posting about that part of the overall story. So sad!

When i served in the RAF Regiment, we used to have many military excersises in Germany in the 90's, I remember specificly whilst on excersise in and around Belsen we were forbidden from digging in trenches etc, due to not knowing what we might uncover, there were many horrific stories of troops on excersise in the past that happened upon undocumented/unmarked mass graves. It really does not seem possible that such attrocities occured on such a mass scale, until you see some of the places for real, TV documetries really struggle to convey the sheer scale of these places

Friend of mine visted the base that, if memory serves, that backs onto Belsen camp. She noted the silence, total lack of any bird life.

I think it was down to the lime the nazis used.

lien1 - Have been to Auschwitz three times now and each time it has been a moving experience.

Part of the schoolchildren's curriculum over there is take them on a guided tour. They, and many of us learn a great deal about "man's inhumanity to man"!

If you stay in Zakopane it is just a bit to the north eat.

Can't say "enjoy it" but you will certainly find it quite an experience.

I have been to Dachau and I would recommend anyone to visit one of the camps if they get the opportunity. It was August but the day I went it was cold and pouring with rain. As I was cold and shivering with plenty on, it brought home even more how horrific it was for the prisoners dressed in virtually nothing in the middle of winter. The town of Dachau is beautiful and very close to the camp which seems to make it even more...bad. Whilst I was there I was numb but afterwards it hit me and will remain with me for the rest of my life. I am 100% "glad" I went. Seeing it on tv or film isn't the same.

Apparently all school children in Germany have to visit camps at least twice and I know a lot of schools here visit now as part of the curriculum - which I think is a very good thing. Go if you can

Had never heard of that place but just looked it after seeing your post. Thanks for posting about that part of the overall story. So sad!

It is, immensely impressive place but sends shivers down your back a lot.

Our class went on a school-trip just after the reveal of this monument. 102.000 bricks representing all people that were deported from this place and did not survive. 30 kids aged 14/15, all crying their eyes out after meeting a handful of survivors.

What is not well-known is that after the camp was liberated the Dutch government decided it would be a handy place to intern collaborators and members of the Dutch Nazi Party (NSB), hundreds of them died there as well in practically the same circumstances as many others before them.

Terrible place in our history.

We visited Oranienburg, and that was depressing enough for me, but I think everybody should visit one. I never envisioned the size of these places for one thing.

We holidayed in Krakow and visited Auschwitz and Birchenhough camps. They are close together and visited on the same tour.

L.J. Leisure(from Catcliffe) were the company we went with and were excellent in arranging everything including other local trips including the salt mines and Schindler's factory which is now a museum.

They are doing a tour later this year and I would highly recommend them.

---------- Post added 29-01-2015 at 15:42 ----------

When i served in the RAF Regiment, we used to have many military excersises in Germany in the 90's, I remember specificly whilst on excersise in and around Belsen we were forbidden from digging in trenches etc, due to not knowing what we might uncover, there were many horrific stories of troops on excersise in the past that happened upon undocumented/unmarked mass graves. It really does not seem possible that such attrocities occured on such a mass scale, until you see some of the places for real, TV documetries really struggle to convey the sheer scale of these places

Whilst in the army I was stationed at Scheune not far from Belsen.

It was rumoured that our camp was used as a transit camp for Jews on their way to Belsen.

My wife and self visited the Holocaust museum during a trip to Washington DC. A very sobering experience to say the least.

I have taken students several times and nothing prepares you for it. Each time something new has been discovered or the guide tells you something new. There are two sites, the first site is the purpose built barracks which were initially used. Here there's the famous gate and gas chambers. The other site has the railway track and the destroyed chambers. Everybody has to be taken by a guide and its easy to book these in Kraków. It's about an hours drive from the city. The guides are rigourously assessed for their knowledge, I believe they are inspected/ observed every year. They really know their stuff. Sometimes there are guest guides who were survivors but this is increasingly rare. Each time we have been it has snowed.