Auschwitz Concentration Camp was the largest one used by the Nazi Germans. It's located about 50 kilometers to the west of Krakow. The camp is in 3 parts. Generally, the official tours organised by the concentration camp memorial site show the visitors more in details the Auschwitz I (known as the base camp, photo 1 - 24)), then spend less time at Auschwitz II - Birkenau (known as the extermination camp, photo 25 - 32), a camp with a railroad transporting the prisoners from the other part of Europe to here as their final stop.
I visited the Dachau Concentration Camp in Germany twice before and saw the gas chamber there, so I was already more or less prepared to see the saddest thing on this tour. However, when I saw what they exhibit at Auschwitz, I was shocked. Poland is definitely worth visiting, but would I recommend Auschwitz to everyone I know? Probablly not. Certain photos I took at the camp are not included here, i.e. exhibit of the victims' shoes, collection of the walking aids including prosthetic limbs (fake legs)... with blood stains on some of them. There is a room where photography is not allowed, behind the glass wall there's a hill of human hair collected from a few thousand Jewish women's heads, piling up almost to the ceiling. I felt my stomach turning. If you think you'd want to see the fake legs and real hair collected from 1940s, you can go.
You have a good touch Denise, don't suppose that lovely camera hurts either. Having been there with you I know what a good representation this is.........
Max Tam
24-May-2012 08:44
The title and B&W rendition of photograph #32 say it all, I see a deep feeling within your shot and am moved by it, what a powerful conclusion to this album.