Auschwitz

[Russ_D]

where are you taking her for Valentines?..... a Siberian Gulag

My mate took his wife on a surprise romantic long weekend........to Chernobyl!!. Risky as he had testicular cancer as a teen so only had one ball. Too kids later it seems he wasn't affected.

On Auschwitz, as someone who has been interested in military history since a boy it's one place I want to go. Its what everyone says, "its not a nice place but everyone should go once in their life". It's on my list of military history related sites to visit when the kids are older.
We should never forget all the people who lost their lives in the extermination camps.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Heard a story on LBC on Tom Swarbrick prog yesterday told by the son of a couple who were imprisoned in Auschwitz (I think it was). His parents escaped somehow and hid in a tunnel nearby to escape recapture for 14months. In that time his father met and bribed a camp worker so that he could take the worker's place and go back into the camp to try and find his wife's sister to try and get her out. He failed - but got himself back out without being detected. Astonishing.

(you can hear this on LBC catch up on that programme from 5:55pm - may be on the LBC website - haven't checked)

 

[bobmac]

Real animals kill for food and protection.The human animal defies description!
This was so painful to watch but so moving.
I don't any sort of god could forgive these inhumanities whenever/wherever they occur(or I would hope not)
What a sad,horrible world we inhabit(and are destroying)
This would depress anyone.Mans inhumanity to man eh?
Jimbo

The German army had Gott mit uns ("God with us") on their belt buckles so they thought they had god on their side.

 

[Russ_D]

The German army had Gott mit uns ("God with us") on their belt buckles so they thought they had god on their side.

Yep, every combatant beleived God was on their side. As my late Grandad said, "God must have been hedging his bets"

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I went. You cannot describe the feeling as you get there but it is very uncomfortable even just going in at the start of the visit. Not in a macabre sense but something you can't put into words. Once you have done the whole visit though it leaves an imprint on your mind and your soul and is something I'll never forget. Hard to say it is a place "you must go to" but if you do it'll change your perception on life completely

 

[Kellfire]

The German army had Gott mit uns ("God with us") on their belt buckles so they thought they had god on their side.

Against Me said it well in their song White People For Peace -

Each side was praying to a God to bless them with strength and courage.
It was in His name artillery lit the sky on fire.

While the broadcast, like their prayers, went unanswered and ignored, God, like the rest of the world, just watched in silence.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Never visited any of the WWII concentration or death camps. But when in Cambodia last year we went to Phnom Penh and visited the Khmer Rouge Security Prison 21, and from there were driven the route prisoners were driven to the killing fields' just outside the city. Very thought provoking as you walk around places where there was such terrible suffering - and my wife found the centre especially very upsetting. Just shocks when faced with what man can do to fellow man - especially when convinced of their 'right' and being right to do so.

 

[Tashyboy]

where are you taking her for Valentines?..... a Siberian Gulag

Scotland ?

 

[patricks148]

Scotland ?

Nine wells or Saughton

 

[Tashyboy]

Never visited any of the WWII concentration or death camps. But when in Cambodia last year we went to Phnom Penh and visited the Khmer Rouge Security Prison 21, and from there were driven the route prisoners were driven to the killing fields' just outside the city. Very thought provoking as you walk around places where there was such terrible suffering - and my wife found the centre especially very upsetting. Just shocks when faced with what man can do to fellow man - especially when convinced of their 'right' and being right to do so.

Felt exactly the same SILH when I have been to pearl Harbour, death railway in Thailand and the Normandy beaches and cemeteries

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Nine wells or Saughton

Will go over the head of many...

 

[Tashyboy]

Nine wells or Saughton

Googled it, its er unique ?

 

[Old Skier]

My Uncle was one of the first into Belsen and was involved in the mass burials of the dead. As a kid I lived in Bergen Hohne which is just down the road from the death camp. Even in the 60's the local German children (said) they had no idea that such a place existed. We used to go as a school to tend to the gardens quite often. Went back several times when I joined up and was based in the area.

 

[USER1999]

My uncle was one of the military doctors who was brought in to Belsen (i think) to treat the survivors. Never spoke about it, I only found out at his funeral. Heck of a job for a newly qualified medic.

 

[SocketRocket]

Watched the program 'Children of Windemere' on BBC2 last night. Its about children saved from Auschwich who were brought to the UK for rehabilitation and settlement. Its a lovely program.

 

[Citizen]

I took my son last year just the 2of us and it was incredibly moving.

Our guide summed it up by saying that although it isn't a place you'd go to twice, everyone should go once. I totally agree.