Why visit Auschwitz?

Recently, while staying in the remarkable city of Krakow, I decided to tour the nearby former Nazi death camp. It seemed a no-brainer; the epicentre of one of the most infamous episodes in modern history should not be something to be overlooked. Later, however, a friend of mine claimed she would not go, as it would be too depressing, and that she had studied it in depth at school numerous times anyway. Having been, however, I firmly believe it to be a good idea visiting, and here is my argument why.

-it is depressing, yes, but…

Of course, spending part of your holiday visiting a site that was responsible for the death of over a million people is not going to leave you in a good mood afterwards. However, while you may reflect that your visit was not a ‘good’ day out, it is a worthwhile one. The fact that it is depressing proves unequivocally that it is worthwhile, as it is imposing and complete enough to feel emotional while being there; a visit to other places, like Krakow castle or the Wieliczka Salt Mine may leave you in a better mood, the power of Auschwitz can still be felt. It is the emotions you will experience looking round that will live with you longer than the memory of pleasant scenery. The attachment and connection with the past is utterly inescapable when touring Auschwitz, something many historical sites cannot claim.

-it was horrible, but…

Nothing will change if you simply close your eyes to it. It is arguable that the site is not simply symbolic of a bygone era, of a more uncivilised time; on the contrary, news is filled with atrocities, wars and violence across the world. A visit to Auschwitz will most likely (if you have any empathy at all) stand as a symbol of the utter pointlessness of the violence, intolerance and destruction still going on around the world. Not meaning to stray into cliché so early, but evil prevails when good men do nothing (Edmond Burke), and Auschwitz is a compelling testament to that. I don’t mean to say that everyone who visits comes out politicised and radical, but it certainly gives a different perspective on both past and present. How many other places you’ll visit on holiday will achieve that?

-the scale has to be seen to be believed…

While Nazi Germany and World War II have been studied at school for several generations, it is fair to say that it is hard to grasp the numbers that are given. It is difficult to fully comprehend just how large the numbers truly are when simply read off a page. This is a significant reason why visiting Auschwitz is so worthwhile; it really helps to understand the vast scale of violence. Just seeing the place itself leaves a lasting impression of industrial-scale destruction. The remaining two camps that constitute Auschwitz-Birkenau (one was destroyed) are so truly vast it gives a sense of how many people were incarcerated there at one time, to be systematically murdered. A short bus journey is needed to traverse the entire sight, from one camp to the other. This is something that cannot be appreciated when reading a book. Also, many of the exhibits demonstrate the scale to visitors as well; pictures of a tiny number of those confined nevertheless line numerous walls; banks of hair ‘harvested’ from the prisoners, as well as a collection of empty gas canisters gives perhaps the most powerful impression of both the scale and the senseless, cold and inhumane nature of the entire place and operation. The collections of personal possessions, such as hairbrushes and glasses, also bring home the true human cost. It is simply impossible not to be moved when confronted with the physical evidence.

-The conditions have to be felt to be believed…

Another aspect that cannot be fully comprehended from a book is the conditions there. The summers are eye-melting, which I experienced first-hand in late May; I struggled to simply walk around clutching bottles of water, so what it must have been like, labouring in mid-august with little chance to re-hydrate, is a truly shocking epiphany you encounter when there in person. Similarly, Poland boasts a formidable winter, which also would have to be experienced to even begin to understand.

-Poland is great, especially Krakow

Another good reason to visit Auschwitz is that it can be incorporated into a wider exploration of Poland. Visiting Auschwitz will probably require staying in the city of Krakow, which is definitely worthy of a visit on its own merits. It is a fun, vibrant and, in my experience, safe-feeling and friendly city, with several excellent attractions of its own. The large medieval central plaza is a hub for food and drink, while everything is located off from it; I found navigation required blindly going to the plaza and planning from there. The castle, too, is excellent. There are also some interesting salt mines located nearby. Poland is also spectacularly cheap, especially food and drink, so can be made into a fun cheap getaway. The local culture is there to be sampled, and I found the people to all be friendly, English-speaking, and often very good looking.

So I hope I have illustrated why I believe Auschwitz is worth the effort, expense and inevitable depression you’ll encounter in visiting; it is depressing, which is exactly why you should go. It also brings you to Poland, a place I found to be completely different from my assumptions. A visit there certainly helped debunk a few stereotypes of how Polish life is. But ultimately Auschwitz, and trying to appreciate the horrors that occurred there and the nonsensical ideas which caused it, is a very worthy trip to make.

JP.