How?

I've been trying to come up with a way to write about Auschwitz so I could relate how truly horrible it was. How can I share information about the death camp that I walked through? How can I tell about all the suffering that occurred there? How can I explain the strange aura that surrounds the place? The truth is, I really can't. So, what I will do is explain what it was like to be on the tour.

For 30 PLN (Polish money, which is about ten USD) per person, we were given a tour guide, a headset, and a bus ride from Auschwitz to Auschwitz-Birkenau. Upon paying the admission fee, we were ushered into a theater where a graphic film plays describing events at Auschwitz. At the end of the film, everyone is silent. We then left the theatre and our guide took us outside and started the tour.

Much of Auschwitz is like a museum. They have displays behind big glass cases. Our guide walked us through and explained everything in detail. Again, there was way too much information to me to repeat on my blog.

The first thing I noticed when we walked into the "camp" was this sign. I could only imagine what it was like to be a prisoner here knowing that behind this simple wooden sign was a fence with enough electricity to kill a person in less than a second.

Now, everything here seems so normal. This could easily be a community living center or spread out apartment buildings--if you ignored the fences and guard towers. It's hard to look at this place and imagine such horrible things happened.

And this small urn is what little remains of millions murdered at Auschwitz. Millions.

Cyclon gas. A cleaning supply. Something this simple killed millions.

Millions walked into the "showers" and sat their items in a pile thinking they would get them back after they washed up. This left the Nazis in possession of many pairs of glasses...

medical devices...

shoe polish...

suitcases...

shoes...

which the Nazis sold for the "cause." 

The owners of these fine items, were left to sleep on mattresses like this... if they were "fortunate" enough to have a mattress. 

 Other owners were murdered in this very room.

Auschwitz is separated into different camps. After seeing all of the horrible things at Auschwitz I, we went to Auschwitz-Birkenau. This is the view across the street from Birkenau.  

But inside was much less beautiful. There were electric fences again.

This is one of the rail cars they used to bring the prisoners to the camps. 70-80 people or more would be squeezed in this tiny place with no food, water, or toilet for days as they were brought to the camp.

In this spot, one man decided whether they would live a torturous life in the camp, or be sent immediately to slaughter in the crematoriums.

This is what was left of one of the crematoriums after it was destroyed.

These were chimneys from the kitchens. The kitchens didn't produce adequate food for the prisoners. They wasted away from disease, starvation, and excessive labor.

Six or more women were to sleep in this "bed" at night. The ceiling leaked and they were constantly wet from the rain and sweat. 

Horrible is the only word I can use to describe this. It brings a whole new light to what I've been taught in classes, and also brings a whole new light to the injustices humans are capable of. Every time I think of Auschwitz I wonder how? How could people be so awful? How could a person think this was for the greater good? How could they force the prisoners into doing their own dirty work? How? How? How? The list goes on. All I can hope for is that after seeing this I can become a better person, and that others along with me will fight to bring more love into the world instead of hate, anger, or pain.