Today was so overwhelming. There are so many things I saw and heard today that I will never be able to forget. I thought our group handled everything so well and really came together today. My emotions didn't really catch up to me until the end of the day when we were sitting in the circle all sharing our thoughts and at that point I just lost it. I was very surprised that it took me so long to be emotional in the first place but I think I was able to let my guard down finally because in that setting I felt so comfortable with everyone and knew that it was ok to cry and let it all out.
It's nearly impossible to put into words what we experienced today. It was so powerful just being in the place where such horrible things happened and seeing how beautiful it was. Seeing the places that we've learned so much about throughout all of our history classes, books we've read, and survivor tales is so powerful. It's scary to think that it was people just like all of us in this horrible place but even more than that it's scary to think that it was people just like all of us committing these horrible acts. I will never get over the fact that there were actually people who had been born in Auschwitz and innocent children were exposed to such a horrible place. This experience was truly life changing. (Bridget)
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Dear friends, family, and all followers of the Eastern Europe blog:
We are currently on the bus on the way back to our hotel in Krakow after a long day at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Today was undoubtedly one of the most moving days of my life, and I will not forget what I witnessed, what I heard, and what we all talked about near the end of our visit in a debriefing circle. Words cannot describe what this day and these places meant to me, or really to any of us. Because I cannot exactly pinpoint my feelings, it will be hard to convey them through this blog post.
While the entire day today was truly an unforgettable experience, I would like to focus on what I saw at the Birkenau labor camp, also known as Auschwitz II. Here are some of the things that I found to be particularly impactful:
Right before lunch, our guide took us up to see the entire camp from above through a watchtower that is open to the public. The view is something that I will honestly never forget: the huge expanse of ruins and chimneys and barracks for as far as the eye could see. An enormous camp stretching over dozens of football fields, filled with barbed wire and memorials. It was probably the most haunting thing I have ever seen, like something from a nightmare. To think that everything we saw was 100% man-made was absolutely horrifying and disturbing, and this was something we all discussed afterwards.
When we returned later in the afternoon, we eventually arrived at a spot that was marked by four gravestone memorials, each containing the same message in English, Polish, Hebrew, and Yiddish. The engraving stated that what lay beyond it was the site of the ashes of countless men, women, and children who had perished during the Holocaust. It was the site of the remains of a destroyed gas chamber, essentially a mass grave.
We are currently on the bus on the way back to our hotel in Krakow after a long day at Auschwitz and Birkenau. Today was undoubtedly one of the most moving days of my life, and I will not forget what I witnessed, what I heard, and what we all talked about near the end of our visit in a debriefing circle. Words cannot describe what this day and these places meant to me, or really to any of us. Because I cannot exactly pinpoint my feelings, it will be hard to convey them through this blog post.
While the entire day today was truly an unforgettable experience, I would like to focus on what I saw at the Birkenau labor camp, also known as Auschwitz II. Here are some of the things that I found to be particularly impactful:
Right before lunch, our guide took us up to see the entire camp from above through a watchtower that is open to the public. The view is something that I will honestly never forget: the huge expanse of ruins and chimneys and barracks for as far as the eye could see. An enormous camp stretching over dozens of football fields, filled with barbed wire and memorials. It was probably the most haunting thing I have ever seen, like something from a nightmare. To think that everything we saw was 100% man-made was absolutely horrifying and disturbing, and this was something we all discussed afterwards.
When we returned later in the afternoon, we eventually arrived at a spot that was marked by four gravestone memorials, each containing the same message in English, Polish, Hebrew, and Yiddish. The engraving stated that what lay beyond it was the site of the ashes of countless men, women, and children who had perished during the Holocaust. It was the site of the remains of a destroyed gas chamber, essentially a mass grave.
Ms. Freeman had asked me to bring along a small prayer book on the trip, from which I then recited the "Kaddish," the Jewish prayer for mourning. While some Jews only recite the Kaddish to honor the passing of an immediate family member, others believe that it should also be recited for those who cannot or are not able to say it. I read the prayer aloud in Hebrew and in English, and all participated during the points of "amen." This moment was incredibly moving for me; I am so fortunate to have been able to share a part of my religion and Jewish culture with my peers so that we could all honor and remember the victims together.
Near the end of our visit, as I mentioned before, our entire group had the opportunity to sit in a large circle inside the Sauna building, the site of undressing and showering by the people in the camp. After an intense day of overwhelming emotion, we all went around and shared some of our thoughts and feelings, and discussed what in particular had resonated with us. Although many had not shown visible emotion yet that day, we were all soon crying. Everyone had something meaningful to contribute. Sitting there crying, listening to the beautiful, powerful, and articulate words of my classmates was another aspect of today that will remain with me forever. For although we all have been reacting to everything in different ways, as Ms. Freeman had told us all would happen, in that moment we were one; all of us had been affected and forever touched by what we had witnessed.
I hope everyone back home is doing well. Tomorrow we are headed to Majdanek, the death camp where nearly everything has been left in tact since its liberation in 1945. Fortunately, we have some free timetonight in Krakow for dinner and some exploring in the town square before tomorrow, what I know will be yet another extremely powerful day. (Abbie)
Near the end of our visit, as I mentioned before, our entire group had the opportunity to sit in a large circle inside the Sauna building, the site of undressing and showering by the people in the camp. After an intense day of overwhelming emotion, we all went around and shared some of our thoughts and feelings, and discussed what in particular had resonated with us. Although many had not shown visible emotion yet that day, we were all soon crying. Everyone had something meaningful to contribute. Sitting there crying, listening to the beautiful, powerful, and articulate words of my classmates was another aspect of today that will remain with me forever. For although we all have been reacting to everything in different ways, as Ms. Freeman had told us all would happen, in that moment we were one; all of us had been affected and forever touched by what we had witnessed.
I hope everyone back home is doing well. Tomorrow we are headed to Majdanek, the death camp where nearly everything has been left in tact since its liberation in 1945. Fortunately, we have some free timetonight in Krakow for dinner and some exploring in the town square before tomorrow, what I know will be yet another extremely powerful day. (Abbie)
Thank you all for taking the time to formulate and share your thoughts with us. Your reflections have moved me to tears. I'm grateful to hear Abbie read the Kaddish in Hebrew and in English. Im so glad she was able to do it.
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