Anyone ever visted Auschwitz or Oświęcim? Just some feedback needed really.?

Show all answers

David C

I am a British ex-pat living in Poland and it was one of the first places I visited when I first came to Poland. As others have said, you can take photos. It is a depressing place but I feel as many people as possible should visit and remember what happened there. My most abiding memory is the the collections of shoes, glasses, artificial limbs etc that are all that is left of those that died there. It will affect you quite deeply, but I hope you will go. I feel that everyone should go so that the memory of what happened there will never be lost.

fahoouahoocahookahoo

Yes you can take photos....... not sure why you would want to though. Its a hell hole, chills your very soul. Its worth a visit just to try to grab some idea into what exactly went on.......horrible place, evil.

marybuko

Yes, when I visited Krakow the summer of 2007, I debated whether to visit the Death Camp Auschwitz in the Polish town Oswiecim...and then decided to because felt it was my moral responsibility to do so. (I found out that the Jews call the town Oshpitzin, and it means 'Guest' in Yiddish.)

You say you're asking Dumb questions, but I would use 2 other 'D' words to Describe Auschwitz....Disgusting and Death. When you visit the women's restroom today at the Auschwitz site, they are another D word...Decent....but they were anything but back then. I brought my own lunch, but if you want to have a meal at the site, they have again...Decent...food. But the caloric food intake at the Death Camp was anything but Decent. It was inhumane. It was indecent. And as far as picture taking, people above me had said it was allowed. But my understanding was it was only allowed outside, not indoors. When you went thru the barracks and buildings it wasn't allowed, though I saw some people secretly taking pictures.

Steve Uk

I went to Bergen Belsen Carl..Never again though..
It had an atmosphere still even after many years .
Apparently there are very few birds fly over and the grass rarely needs cutting..And for once I am not piss taking..
I also went to Auschwitz ..I was in my early 20's and curiosity propted it..Now I am older and wiser and would never go again..
Yes you can take photos too

Good ask btw

goatboy

I haven't visited there, but feel I should at some point in my life.

If you want some more insight read "If this is a man" by Primo Levi; a haunting account by a survivor. Compelling stuff, but very heavy as you can imagine

billrussell42

I was there 2 yrs ago, and I did take a few pictures. But rarely looked at them since. I agree that it's something you should do.

But stay in Krakow, it's a great place, and take the bus to Oświęcim, they leave on a regular basis, it's about an hour away. Oświęcim may be depressing, but return to Krakow and have a beer at a Cafe on the square, visit St. Mary's, listen to the trumpet call, and it will help you overcome the depression.

more:

Kraków is a great place to visit.

Costs are about 1/2 what they are in places like France and Spain on the Euro.

Most things are a short walk from the old market square, so stay near there if you can. As such, the old town it is full of old churches, gorgeous buildings, and a very large and vibrant town square lined with cafes. There are lots of classical music concerts. Visit St. Marys Cathedral and the other great churches in the old town. Walk up to Wawel hill and visit the Royal Cathedral and Palace. Take day trips to Oświęcim (Auschwitz) and to the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and perhaps to the Eagle-nest Castles in the mountains. Visit the Museums.

The most striking thing I remember from Kraków is the Kraków Hourly Trumpet Signal

Every hour a golden trumpet shows above Kraków's central Grand Square in the west window just below the spire of the higher, municipal tower of the St. Mary's Basilica. Then a characteristic trumpet signal, known and dear to every Pole, played by a live trumpet player, resounds all over the city's Old Town historical district. All of a sudden the melody comes to an abrupt end. The Kraków signal, or Hejnal Mariacki, dates back to the Middle Ages when it announced the opening and the closing of the city gates. The bugler also played it to alarm his fellow citizens whenever he saw a fire or enemy forces. And the melody's abrupt ending is said to commemorate a bugler shot through his throat by a Tatar archer in 1241.

My advice would be to rent a condo near the market square, inside the Planty. I had one last June, it was great, just a stone's throw from St. Mary's. The market square has several dozen outdoor cafe's, and there are hundreds of restaurants/bars within a block or two.

Drink lots of Zywiec.

Warsaw is worth a few days, for all of the WWII monuments, memorials, and memories, Getto museums and memories, plus the old town. It's a 4 hour train from Kraków.

Get the Rick Steves DVD on Eastern Europe, which covers these cities, plus others.

.

tartu2222

I think you'll come away a different person. That sounds cliche, but it affected me as no other place has. You've probably seen the photos of the camp when it was functioning, but nothing prepares you for the real thing.

Trust me I'm a Doctor ♥

I haven't visited by my b/f has driven past Auschwitz when he worked on the continent. I would like to go out of morbid curiosity, I've watched lots of documentaries but to see the reality would be interesting. I'd also like to visit the war graves, I read a lot of war poetry and it would make it more meaningful.

pbleek

I was there a couple of years ago, you will find that no one takes photos inside the camp although its not forbidden, most people take pictures outside the gates.

Here is what Wikipedia has to say:

Please remember that you are essentially visiting a mass grave site, as well as a site that has an almost incalculable meaning to a significant portion of the world's population. There are still many men and women alive who survived their time here, and many more who had loved ones who were murdered or worked to death there, both Jewish and gentile. Plese treat the site with the dignity, solemnity and respect it deserves. Do not make jokes about the Holocaust or Nazis. Do not deface the site by marking or scratching grafiti into structures. Do not take pictures inside the remaining crematoria or gas chambers, and do not smile if you pose for pictures at the camp.

Sláinte xx

No Carlos but I did go to the War Museum in London & they have a section especially for this part of history..is was tough going & felt very low afterwards & I do know that the world needs to be told & to see but just hope it won't be too much for you..As I found even this very difficult but was glad I went to see it.. sorry not much help :)

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: