Today woke up at 0600 to catch a train to Oswiecim where Auschwitz, the biggest concentration camp was located. It was very famous in poland and a must-see when coming to Krakow. It was quite far away from Krakow as it took around 2 hours train to get there. I slept in the train till it arrived.
Then, I walked to Auschwitz I. It suddenly rained but I did not bring any umbrella with me. I ran under the tree and got inside the museum. Bought a student tour ticket with 30zl. Waited at the waiting room as it started at 0930 and I arrived 0900. Joined Eng tour with others. BTW, there was a pretty Polish girl working there. I got out the building and suddenly felt very serious as now I was at the concentration camp. Walked to the main gate to Auschwitz I and there was a saying on it " Arbeit mach frei" it was German and my German came in handy.
It means work make free. Of course it was a lie. No Jews were free. We walked through the buildings. Some buildings were kitchen, some were prisons for Jews.
We got inside a block and there was a saying that people do not remember history will go through it again. Agreed! Just like China June-forth movement. We walked into many rooms where displayed pictures of Jews at that period. Auschwitz being the biggest camp as it was centre of Jewish living places. Jews from france, ltaly, eastern Europe were brought to here.
Saw some poor pictures like a old guy being selected to which priaon, many suitcase left outside the freight car. Loads of Jews were killed there. We walked upstairs. One thing really astonished me was they use cut women's hair to make textiles and sold them to make money. So cold- blood!!. One room exhibited many many hairs which looked really creepy. It was not allowed to take picturess.... We also saw the model of the gas chamber. Many people were filled inside the chamber. They were told to have shower inside and then had meal.
However, it was untrue and they were nit allowed to leave alive right after knowing it was a lie. I also saw many shoes, suitcases with names on them, combs, sun-glasses piled up in the shpwing room.
Then, we went inside another block where Jews lived. Some rooms had no bed but only blankets, some rooms had more than 10 beds. The toilet was fine I guessed. Some rooms were really like prison. A small window and a chair and that is.
I also saw the smallest "room". To be exact, it should be described as a very tiny space but not room as it was fucking small and could only stand, barely no space to sit and turn around, which was really inhuman. During the tour, no one had a smile on their face cuz it was really sad to see all pf these.
Then, we walked to the execution place, where Jews were hanged PR tortured to death.
there was flowers to h orship them. Then, we walled a bit outside and stopped at a gas chamber. We got inside and rhw walls were so old. There was a area fto commemorate people who died.
Them I took mamy pictires ans he went to buy a postcard. And we took another bus to Auschwitz II, which was bigger. and more spacious than I. Passing through the administrative building, I saw a very long railway which was used to transport Jews to this camp..
first, we walked along the railway track and stopped at a freight car, which was the car to take Jews to be here.
The car was packed with many Jews without any food and drink being given to them. The condition of living was very bad. She said some were immediately got killed after arrival. We were also standing in a place where the Nazi selected Jews and where many suitcases piled up. We continued to walk to along the railway to the end of the the track. There were flowers at the end of the track.
At the end of the track, there used to be another gas chamber but it was destroyed. Jews were told to take showers in the chamber and had hot food afterthat but in the end they realized ending up in a gas chamber, not allowing to leave alive and ultimately being killed by zymlum B. There were also plagues which were to commemorate people died too. Nazi tried to destroyed many things to conceal the the true story behind.
Then, we walked to a toilet where had no ventilation system and no heating system. We also walked to a house where Jews lived. The room was lack of light and they only slept on a wood-made bed, some even without light as well. We then walked back to the entrance to another section to see another house. The tour ended and we could go to the administrative building. I could see the 180° view of the camp and the railway track "Track to death" was very creepy and brutal.
Suddenly, it rained heavily. I waited at the cover and walked to the track till rain gone to tale pictures and a Polaroid. Around 1330, I left and try to catch a train at 1340 by running but in vain. I chose a shortcut but end up being at the railway tracks. I passed through them. I wanted take picture there but as I did not want to miss the train, I did not do it. After knowing I miss the train, I went to eat a kebab and got on the train at 1440.
Slept and.slept till 1630. I walked back to the hostel to leave sth there and started my sourvenir time!!
I walked to the cloth hall and spent around 1.5 hours there, during which I went to change money again. This time I was not tricked by the exchange stores as they always put the selling rate of euro outside and I always mixed it with buying rate. I should look at buying rate as they buy my euro. Finally I bought a bracelet, 2magnets, 1 tiny leather bag for money, 1 key thing and 1 thing to attach the zip of my bag and 1 handmade angel to Ms leung and bars pf chocolate made in poland. Together with the cups bought yesterday, I spend around €50.
Then, I walked out the cloth hall. I helped a family to take pictures. Suddenly, a Guy tried to grab my bag at my back. I turned around. it was the crazy Australian Guy.! He was crazy. We walked around the square and took photos together. What a coincidence to meet him again LOL. He was very crazy and funny. He asked me to climb the statue to take photo and said I was dark in the photo. I said just took it and would see. He even told to a Guy near us why was that dark-.- and asked him and her friend to move a bit..
He also asked me to get inside the steel head. I said no only kids did it. He showed me again the corner where the fortune teller did business and kept saying she was saying bullshit and wanted to punch her. When a guy said we had jass music inside, he answered him in some language i did not know. I asked him if he could spoke Polish and he said no. He was just bullshitting on some no wxoatonf language lol. He even wanted to just walk in to listen the music amd left. I asked him he could drink beer in the restaurant. He said no and he would just buy a beer outside and sat down in a restaurant and drink it there lol. He was really crazy!
Then, I walked to the cheaper restaurant which was a place my hostel recommended. As he had already had his dinner, he just followed me and saw how cheap it was. It was just 14zl per meal which was so cheap. I ordered a porkchop with French fries. It was served with salads and soups. I also ordered a Polish beer, which was fine.
he said he would pick me up in 45mins and did not show up after 1hour. As I was sleepy, I left and back to hostel. Took shower and slept! What a long day. What a nice memory of being in a Auschwitz concentration camp. Perhaps I wold go to watch Schiller List when going back home.!! I really enjoyed my history trip in Poland!!
