Birkeneau

After Auschwitz 1 I went back to Birkenau.

This camp was made a little later with mostly exterminating in mind. I think there were 4 or 5 gas chambers.....

The rail way that brought the people in.

One of the barracks 

One of the roads between the different groupings of barracks

Whats left of most of the barracks 

The Germans tried to blow up the gas chambers as the Soviets were approaching 

Ashes from this chamber were dumped here

Sanitary building in this room they were stripped of their goods and clothes 

Shuffled down the hall, now naked

Shaved 

Showered 

Birkenau was intense also. I never imagined how big that place was. I mean think about it that sign said 90,000 people toiled away their existence there. Thats the people who were living! Most of what I saw there made me ask which was better to be brought in and gassed and had it done with or to be forced to work and almost not be fed and eventually die a long lingering death from starvation or disease. 

One thing I wondered as I walked around was how much of these sites are original? I know some of the other WWII sites I have been to, especially in the former Soviet Union, alot of the buildings and materials were ransacked after the war by locals trying to rebuild. I would like to do some research and see just what is original and was was rebuilt to look original. 

My final impression of both sites together is pretty unreal. I have been on tours through jails, GULAGS, sites of mass murder and other places where just horrible things took place. Auschwitz-Birkenau has to be at the top for a lasting impression though. I think its because many of the personal belongings of the people interned are still there and can be viewed. That and also the photos. Its one thing to look at a building, or for example one of the drainage ditches at Birkenau, its another to look at it and see photos of the prisoners constructing it. The Germans did such a good job of documenting everything that to go to this place is unreal because its not hearsay its noo this happened here is the photos to go with it.

I can only think of one maybe 2 other places I have been where just being there seems unreal. The feeling in the air is indescribable to know the suffering and loss that happened there. If you ever thought of going just do it and do it sooner rather than later. What ever is left that is original is getting old see it before it to gets restored.