Life can be so unpredictable. The current COVID-19 situation stands testament to this. 

I think most would agree that life is full of unexpected turns that we could never predict. We spend so much of our time fretting over petty issues that we forget to count our blessings. A single moment in time can change your perspective on life forever. 

One such moment happened on my trip to Poland. It was an experience that hit me with such tremendous force, and I knew that life would never be the same again.

A sobering trip to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial

People may tell you how humbling a journey to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial can be. However, for me, it was a defining moment in my life. Nothing could have prepared me for how transformative it was. I knew from that point forward: life would never be the same again. 

Traveling teaches you what textbooks can’t. It puts you in the heart of history, allowing you to get a first-hand insight into the horrors of a time gone by. My visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is a perfect example of this. 

Auschwitz started its life as a military barracks but was destined to a horrible fate. They were repurposed to concentration camps in 1940, housing over 1 million Jewish people during the holocaust.

As I walked through the infamous ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ gates, an overwhelming feeling of eeriness came over me. It was as though the cruelty and atrocity of the place still lingered in the air. It made my skin crawl, and I instantly went numb. I could not begin to fathom the horror and blatant disregard for human life that had happened here. 

About the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial tour

I booked my Auschwitz-Birkenau tour through Viator. It was a full day tour, as the site is 68 kilometers away from Krakow. Tours are a great way to learn more from a knowledgeable guide. An independent tour is also a good option; you could easily spend 3-4 hours taking it all in at your own pace. Trust me when I say that you do not want to rush this experience. 

The Camp

The camp is almost the same as it was after its liberation in 1945. However, to convert the area into a museum, some rebuilding work has taken place. We took a guided tour with headsets, visiting each building filled with images and artifacts related to the former prisoners.

There were several brick huts to explore, which were used to either experiment on the prisoners or come up with more horrifying ways of killing innocent members of the Jewish community. You’ll learn how prisoners were starved, suffocated, or kept standing in a tiny cell of 1 square meter. 

The terrible crimes that took place at Auschwitz

The Nazi guards would strip people of their humanity, taking away all their possessions such as clothes, hair, crutches, glasses. Everything. The most shocking thing for me was the images showing the survivors after their release. I couldn’t hold my back my tears anymore.

As I dove deeper into the detestable crimes committed, I had a horrible, heavy feeling on my chest. Even as I write this article, I can’t help but feel emotional recalling how women and children were sent to their deaths in the gas chambers upon arrival at the camp. I don’t think I will ever be able to find the right words to describe how I felt. Such prejudice is incomprehensible.

Over 1.1 million people died at Auschwitz. If the British army hadn’t liberated the camp when they did, the area would have been extended into a much larger, more efficient killing machine. I can’t bear the thought.

      

Takeaways from my trip

You need such eye-opening experiences in life. If we don’t try to learn about suffering in the world around us, we will never appreciate the magnitude of our comforts. The everyday things that we may otherwise take for granted.

If ever you need a reminder as to just how good life is, a trip to Auschwitz is a must. As upsetting as it is, it allowed me to reflect on my upbringing. How lucky I am to be safe and live a life of comfort; how privileged I am. 

It’s shocking to think that this event happened in the not too distant past. How is it possible that such anti-Semitism took place just a few decades before I was born?  

Don’t let history repeat itself

After seeing the barbarity that occurred at Auschwitz-Birkenau, it’s almost impossible to go back to being who you were before visiting. I left with an entirely new perspective on life. 

I recommend every visitor to Krakow, Poland, makes a stop at Auschwitz. People need to educate themselves on the abominations of the past. That way, we can learn and ensure nothing like this ever happens again. Together we can create a better future.

One thing is for sure: my trip to Auschwitz filled me with immense, powerful gratitude that will stay with me forever. I will always stop to remember how trivial my issues are in comparison.  If you have the chance to visit, make sure you do. It will change your life.

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