Poland

We spent our last day in Poland at Auschwitz. It is a cliché to say that words can’t describe it, but it is true. So – bleak, shocking, harsh, forbidding, gloomy, depressing, sad, miserable, dismal, utterly overwhelmingly dreadful. The original Auschwitz is fairly small but large enough to have several square brick buildings of three stories, each crammed with three tier bunk beds. The bunks are about 2’ 6” wide and would be expected to hold two people. They would lie head to foot. Having been told this by the guide, one’s first thought is how would you ever sleep? Then it dawns on you that these people had been working outside in the snow and cold for at least 14 hours doing heavy labour and you respectfully register that, even to lie down would be a blessing. I’m sitting here now on my comfortable leather office chair, in front of my expensive Imac. I’m drinking coffee and feeling well rested after a good night’s sleep. In my normal circumstances, how easy it would be to think of something to fuss about or worry about or simply to indulge in a little discontent. I won’t be doing that today. The memories from Tuesday are too fresh. These atrocities occurred in a “civilized” country perpetrated by “civilized” people less than 70 years ago. We moved on from Auschwitz to Birkenau. This is the death camp where the Germans were able to gas and cremate hundreds of people a day; a very efficient operation and almost too much to take in. By the time we got there it was raining. We walked down the long road from the gate where the cattle car trains arrived with the condemned to the gas chambers and crematoria, protected by our umbrellas. We took a few pictures, listened to the guide and walked back again. We climbed into our minibus and drove to our comfortable hotels in Krackov for a nice nap followed by a delicious dinner. I’m not sorry I went but I am shattered by the experience. It is a place that you don’t get out of your head, and indeed, you shouldn’t. One of Jane’s friends had loaned her a book by Primo Levi, “Surviving in Auschwitz”. It is perfectly written; a brilliant book.