Auschwitz - 80 years since liberation

[PhilTheFragger]

I visited Auschwitz a couple of weeks before Christmas just gone.

As many have said, it is a place full of foreboding, you can only imagine the horror, the pain and the suffering.
We saw no birds, although there are trees at Auschwitz 1,
The Death Wall, The mountains of human hair, shoes and spectacles is heartbreaking.

Birkenau (Auschwitz 2) about 2k away is a huge site, with hundreds of brick chimney stacks the only relics of the wooden huts that housed those kept there.
There are a couple of rebuilt huts to show you the conditions.

Everyone needs to go there and bear witness to the atrocities that Man has done to his/ her fellow man.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

The Northampton shoemaker who caught the Auschwitz commander

A Northampton leather worker fluent in German was key to capturing a Nazi commander.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[SocketRocket]

I've watched and read countless films, videos and books about the Holocaust and it astounds me the level of indifference man can have to his fellow man (mankind). I've worked in Germany extensively and made some wonderful friends there, lovely people that have made me reflect on how thin the veneer of civilisation can be, how events and politics can sweep away people's humanity.

A documentary I saw about Auschwitz-Birkenau had a part where you could hear a little girl just off the transport crying for her Papa, it's really haunted me since.

 

[RT1200]

Sadly, lessons are not always learnt as I have witnessed widespread indifference to racist comments made on club golf courses.

 

[Voyager EMH]

I watched all the episodes as a 13/14 year old - that is what I remember as the most informative and influential telly that I have ever seen. And there were several hours of it.

And this. This was one of the most influential 8 minute bits of all. Please watch all 8 minutes.

If you have not heard of Jacob Bronowski and The Ascent Of Man, this might inspire you to buy the DVD and/or the book.
I've had the book for a very long time (EDIT: Blimey, more than 50 years!) and bought the VHS when that came out.

 

[Deleted member 36735]

Just for the record the "no birds over Auschwitz" is actually a complete myth, the only reason people don't see any is if it's winter, so they've migrated like they would anywhere else.
Come spring the whole place, especially Birkenau, is a wildlife haven, full of birds in the trees and mammals such as ferrets running round.

 

[Deleted member 36735]

For anyone interested, this 52 minute video contains a lot of original Russian Army footage of what the world found when the Nazis left Auschwitz.
Some of it is very graphic.

The Liberation of Auschwitz

 

[Red devil]

Sadly, lessons are not always learnt as I have witnessed widespread indifference to racist comments made on club golf courses.

Hence unfortunately, of the formation of the Association of Jewish golf clubs. In part to the downright antisemitism whenever Jews applied for golf club membership. Formed in 1947. Seems not a lot was learnt

 

[Tashyboy]

Just for the record the "no birds over Auschwitz" is actually a complete myth, the only reason people don't see any is if it's winter, so they've migrated like they would anywhere else.
Come spring the whole place, especially Birkenau, is a wildlife haven, full of birds in the trees and mammals such as ferrets running round.

I went in March and there wasn’t a bird in sight. I put that down to the fact that the only thing standing on the vast site was brick chimneys. So why would a bird want to be there. The trees or forest at the far end probably but there was silence when I went.

 

[Deleted member 36735]

I went in March and there wasn’t a bird in sight. I put that down to the fact that the only thing standing on the vast site was brick chimneys. So why would a bird want to be there. The trees or forest at the far end probably but there was silence when I went.

Yes, it's still winter in March there.

Oswiecim Temperatures

 

[Tashyboy]

Poland is located in a moderate climate zone and is dominated by four distinct seasons, Autumn from September to November; Winter from December to February; Spring from March to May; and Summer from June to August

Don’t think the birds can read though.

 

[Voyager EMH]

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I watched all the episodes as a 13/14 year old - that is what I remember as the most informative and influential telly that I have ever seen. And there were several hours of it.

And this. This was one of the most influential 8 minute bits of all. Please watch all 8 minutes.

If you have not heard of Jacob Bronowski and The Ascent Of Man, this might inspire you to buy the DVD and/or the book.
I've had the book for a very long time (EDIT: Blimey, more than 50 years!) and bought the VHS when that came out.

I have the book of that series...thought provoking on many fronts

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

To my very core I find anti-semitism abhorrent and impossible to understand, as much as anything because of my childhood experience as of anything learned. The area of Glasgow I lived in from age 7 had a strong and vibrant Jewish community and when at primary school especially, but also at secondary, my closest friends (bar one) were all Jewish. That they were of a different religion to me mattered not a jot (except they got more holidays than the rest of us grrr )...they were all my friends and I was welcome as anyone in their homes.

Its a great sadness to me what I read and hear of these days, and I do often think with some concern and with prayers of all my David, Norman, Mael, Gold, Pinder, Conway, Goldman, Schulman, Weiss, Mendleson and other jewish friends from back then..

 

[rulefan]

We visited Auschwitz a few years ago. Absolutely horrifying.

A couple of lighter hearted stories from when I was a kid.
I lived in a Jewish area of Liverpool. The best player in our school soccer team was Jewish. The problem was that our school matches were played on Saturday
The local cinema (Plaza) had a magnificent 'rise up' Wurlitzer organ to entertain the audience between films. The organist announced one day that he was going to play the national anthem so everyone stood up.. He then played Jerusalem. He was sacked the next day.