Dark Tourism
- Jackie W
- Oct 14, 2019
- 2 min read
I was torn between touring Auschwitz or not. On one hand, wanting to see and learn history, and on the other, did I really need to see to understand? On the recommendation from trusted and dear friends, Laurie, Beth, and Phil, I visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau Extermination Camps. Unfortunately I cannot recall the name of the guide. For two hours he lectured while we walked the grounds and he was excellent at setting the scene. The daily life of a prisoner and the hope needed to survive. The conditions of the camp which took away all dignity and freedom. The inconceivable inhumanity of the Nazis. The personal struggles of those departed. And the liberation too late. Along with knowledge and compassion, the guide spoke with a reverence. Usually I try to take mental notes when a guide speaks, so I can write them down later; however, on this day, I was overwhelmed. Not with just the facts, but with listening and being present in the moments. So I googled some facts for accuracy and to share. Hopefully these points will remain with you.
* Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest Nazi concentration and death camp and was a former military base.
* Over 1.1MM people lost their lives. Some estimates place this number as high as 1.5MM. If I did the math correctly, one had less than a 15% chance of survival.
* The vast majority who did not survive were Jews; however, there were also Poles, Romas (an ethnic group from Northern India who throughout the centuries migrated to various European countries), homosexuals, Soviet POW's, and those mentally and physically handicapped.
I have discovered in reading Polish history that Poles are resilient. As a nation, they are proud and strong. It is rumored the famous sign upon entering Auschwitz, "Arbeit Macht Frei" (translated: work sets you free) has an upside down "B" as a secret sign of defiance by the prisoners who were forced to construct it. In googling though, one of the most surprising facts is how many people in the States have not heard of the Holocaust. 11% of adults, and 22% of millenials. 41% of respondents could not identify Auschwitz as a concentration or extermination camp. Similar surveys in Europe yielded similar percentages. How can this be? A quote from the philosopher, George Santayana, appears at Auschwitz, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
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Auschwitz has always been on my bucket list of places to see and I haven't seen it for the reason you mentioned - is it honoring them or edu-tainment for me? Your writing is thoughtful and kind. Thank you for sharing.
I heard that statistic about people not knowing about the Holocaust before. But like you said, how can that be?
There is always a lot of thought in your writing. I need to read with more thought.