Auschwitz

My first impressions of Auschwitz were of an eerie calmness, a sense of peacefulness. I was surprised at this. However, walking throughout the camp you can feel the respect people have to the events that occurred here. In fact, 'Auschwitz' is the German translation of the original town name - Oswiecim. Again, the Nazi's attempted to destroy the camp. However, today the remainding buildings are used to emphasis the events of the Holocaust - each has a specific display, except the torture chambers and death yard - where memorials have been placed. For me one of the most solemn moments was seeing the cell in which Maximillian Kolbe gave his life. The men he was placed in the cell with, lead by Kolbe, prayed for ten days. At this stage they were given a lethal injection, as it was considered they were taken up room, and needed to be exterminated. The site of Auschwitz was originally an army camp, then a camp to hold Polish prisoners, eventually being expanded into an extermination camp for European Jews. Finally, a couple of observations - in the first photo notice the avenue of trees, in fact there were no trees during the operation of the camp. Secondly, the covered windows on the second image hide the view and sounds of the Death Yard. They were built to stop the sights and sounds reaching the waiting prisoners. Finally, the Firing Wall, where visitors have placed flowers and candles in remembrance of the Holocaust victims.