Krakow - Poland March 2022

Auschwitz

On our last day in Poland, we spend a very sad and sombre afternoon exploring the historical sites of Auschwitz and Auschwitz Birkenau.

These places are truly heart-breaking, and you can feel the evil in the air, even the birds are silent.

1.1 million lives were lost here.

Possibly the worst gates in the world. The words read

"Work Makes You Free"

Everyone who entered Auschwitz came through here.

Auschwitz had 28 brick built blocks. Most were residential for prisoners.

Auschwitz had many watch towers so that guards armed with machine guns and automatic rifles could keep the prisoners under control.

There were 2 gas chambers in use at Auschwitz and 4 in use at Birkenau. They held up to 600 people who were killed with Zyklon B Gas.

At Auschwitz there are still the ovens used to cremate the bodies of the dead. The prisoners reported cremating up to 340 bodies in 24 hours.

Between block 10 and block 11 stood the "death wall" where prisoners were executed by firing squad. Prisoners were brought out by other prisoners.