A visit to the Auschwitz - Birkenau museum is never going to be the high spot of a holiday in Poland but we felt that having come so close to it we really should go and visit it. It also seemed to be an appropriate activity for a Sunday when the weather forecast was for showers and slightly cooler weather. We both found it informative and different from our preconceptions. The first camp at Auschwitz (Oswiecim in Polish) was quite compact. It had been a Polish army barracks and had that look and feel to it, although the displays inside buildings were quite distressing.
The later camp at Birkenau, was only about 3 kilometres away and was administered from Auschwitz, and that was unbelievably vast. About 175 hectares, which meant nothing to me, but to see the rows of huts, was amzing. Many were of wood and were burnt by the Nazis but the brick built stoves and chimneys were left standing which made it all the more grim.
Some of the huts had been built of brick and these were left as they had been found, and were open for visitors to look at.
The later camp at Birkenau, was only about 3 kilometres away and was administered from Auschwitz, and that was unbelievably vast. About 175 hectares, which meant nothing to me, but to see the rows of huts, was amzing. Many were of wood and were burnt by the Nazis but the brick built stoves and chimneys were left standing which made it all the more grim.
Some of the huts had been built of brick and these were left as they had been found, and were open for visitors to look at.
Birkenau is the camp that had the railway arch entrance and the unloading ramps for the trucks with lookout towers for sentries to keep watch.
There is a large international memorial in the area of the gas chambers here, which were also destroyed by the fleeing Nazis but one of those at Auschwitz remains as a kind of shrine.
There is a large international memorial in the area of the gas chambers here, which were also destroyed by the fleeing Nazis but one of those at Auschwitz remains as a kind of shrine.
The previous day on a bright and sunny Saturday we took a minibus into the city centre and wandered around Old Krakow. Quite attractive and with the largest town square in Poland, even bigger than the one at Wroclaw! In some ways the size of it made it a bit less appealing, that and the very “touristy” feel of the place. We were “lucky” enough to be there on the day of the colourful ceremony of the Enthronement of the “king” Marksman! The Marksmen's Brotherhood is a guild that has lasted since the Middle Ages when they trained the townspeople to fight off invaders.
The “king” is the winner of a shooting competition and the outgoing one passes on an ancient silver cock to his successor at this lavish ceremony which involves a service in the cathedral and what sounded like a speech from a politician! The parade consisted of people in medieval dress including a group of musicians and several carrying bows and arrows.
Today, Monday, we are having a bit of a lazy day in camp and catching up on laundry, partly because the weather is even more unsettled than yesterday. We had intended to visit the nearby Salt Mines today but that will now be tomorrow's treat.
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