Poland – Auschwitz
Whilst in Poland we visited several of the Nazi Concentration Camps, including Oświęcim (Auschwitz I), Birkenau (Auschwitz II ) and Płasz?w. These are the photos we took at those camps.
Oświęcim / Auschwitz I
Prior to the outbreak of WW2, the Polish town of Oświęcim was home to an army barracks. This barracks became Auschwitz 1, and was used as a concentration camp for Polish citizens for approximately two years before it’s “second phase” when the population shifted to predominantly Jewish prisoners. Prisoners at Auschwitz 1 were used as forced labour in the building of Auschwitz 2, the much larger Birkenau camp.
Zyklon B
It was in the prison barrack of Auschwitz 1 that Zyklon B was first used tested for use as a lethal substance. Auschwitz 1 was also the location of the only gas chamber which the Nazi’s did not destroy as the third reich entered it’s last days. Here, and in the other crematoria, canisters of Zyklon were dropped into the gas chambers through hatches in the roof.
Auschwitz II – Birkenau
Birkenau Crematoria
Four Crematoria operated in Birkenau (2, 3, 4 & 5); below are pictures of crematoria 2 & 3.
your pictures arent working properly. i would really like to take a look at them as we were in auschwitz/birkenau last year and were so overcome by numbness that we ended up not being able to take pictures at all…
all the best
Thanks for the pointer Kasia – it was down to a problem with Internet Explorer. I’ve altered the way pictures are displayed so you should be able to access them now.
Hi, just viewed your site and your pictures were very interesting. My partner and I are visiting Warsaw in March 2008 and are hoping to visit Auschwitz. Can you recommend any means of travel to it, which would be safe and cost irrelevant?.
Thank you in anticipation.
Mary
Hi Mary, we took the train to Krakow then asked our hotel to arrange a car for the visit, they were very happy to do so. There are also bus tours that go from Krakow train station. Getting the train was quite an experience too – having an allotted comfy seat with complimentary tea and biscuits served en route was most pleasant.
We found it easy to buy a trip to Auschwitz from any of several well-organised tour companies in Krakow, your hotel will have leaflets and be able to phone and make the reservation for you with pickup from the hotel at no extra cost.
With Krakow Tours, the firm we used, they showed the video of the history of Auschwitz on the (otherwise not very interesting) bus journey which saved us some time and gave us a little more opportunity to explore.
Within the camp, whether you travel on a tour or in a private car, you’ll still have to join a headphone-wearing group to be guided by an official Auschwitz guide and take the tour at the standard pace. Whilst it’s quite electrifying actually being in the place you have read and seen so much about, the tour itself can be dull as most of the huts visited are reduced to photo exhibition halls.
Here are some photos from my album, taken this summer
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=59306&l=b9a83&id=549035228