Hello everyone!
On Tuesday we went to Auschwitz-Birkenau and Auschwitz-Monowitz, the two other parts that were built onto the original Auschwitz nearby. Monowitz was a small camp, but Birkenau was massive. It was here that the most people were murdered.
I saw in Monowitz a community that wanted to put the horror behind them. There were almost no remains of the camp.
I saw a community that had built up where once was a concentration camp. This was the people who had lived here before the Nazi's drove them out.
In Birkenau I saw the train tracks where train loads of people were brought, and if they were fit for work they were sent to one of the more than one hundred barracks, and if they weren't they were sent straight to the gas chamber.
I saw the brick barracks where up to 700 people would be crammed in, to sleep in the cold, on stone.
I saw the wooden barracks where 700 people had to sleep. These wooden barracks were originally stables for horses.
I saw their toilets and washing "facilities", the toilets being literally just one hole after another over a pit, and the washing "facilities" having either cold water, or no water in the winter.
I saw the ruins of the 5 crematoria where millions of people were burned after they had been gassed.
I saw a pond where the ashes of these people were thrown.
I saw little pieces of bone in the ground that are still there from this time.
I saw where people were brought when they first arrived, where their clothes, belongings, hair, and identity were stolen from them, where they no longer had a name, but were a number.
Birkenau was massive. No matter what direction you looked, it seemed to go on forever. Everything was perfectly linear. The ground was stony and harsh. There was no hope to be found here. The biggest atrocities ever committed by mankind were committed here.
"The biggest graveyard in the world"
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Monday, 19 October 2009
The Concentration Camp 1
Hey again!
So I hadn't planned on writing again so soon, but I thought I'd just quickly share a few of the thoughts and impressions I have from visiting the original Auschwitz Concentation Camp today. Tomorrow we visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, the much bigger part later built onto the original 3km away.
I saw rows upon rows of photos of people who didn't last longer than a month in the camp.
I saw pictures of women and children who were experimented upon by Dr. Mengele, a sadist who did illegal medical experiments on prisoners.
I saw a huge cabinet of hair, people's hair, people who'd been gassed, or died, and I saw that it was used to make carpets and other things.
I saw the clothes and shoes of babies, who were sent to the gas chambers as soon as they arrived.
I saw quotations from Hitler and others that damn near made me sick.
I saw where the prisoners slept, what they ate, and an example of the ridiculously hard work thay had to do.
I heard how they had no shoes at the start, I heard how they got only 1700 Kcals for 12 hours work a day, 7 days a week.
I saw the gas chamber, where thousands of people were killed. Later, when we had our own time, I went back to the chamber. I coincidentally walked in on the spontaneous singing of a Hebrew prayer song by a group of 30-odd Israelites, singing for their fallen forefathers in the gas chamber. That God allowed me to witness that is one of the most incredible things I've ever had the privilege of.
"Opinions vary on the number of Jews killed in the camps. One Historian says it was 1.1million. Another says it was 1.5million. But the fact remains, whatever the exact number is does not matter. When one was killed, it was already one too many."
So I hadn't planned on writing again so soon, but I thought I'd just quickly share a few of the thoughts and impressions I have from visiting the original Auschwitz Concentation Camp today. Tomorrow we visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, the much bigger part later built onto the original 3km away.
I saw rows upon rows of photos of people who didn't last longer than a month in the camp.
I saw pictures of women and children who were experimented upon by Dr. Mengele, a sadist who did illegal medical experiments on prisoners.
I saw a huge cabinet of hair, people's hair, people who'd been gassed, or died, and I saw that it was used to make carpets and other things.
I saw the clothes and shoes of babies, who were sent to the gas chambers as soon as they arrived.
I saw quotations from Hitler and others that damn near made me sick.
I saw where the prisoners slept, what they ate, and an example of the ridiculously hard work thay had to do.
I heard how they had no shoes at the start, I heard how they got only 1700 Kcals for 12 hours work a day, 7 days a week.
I saw the gas chamber, where thousands of people were killed. Later, when we had our own time, I went back to the chamber. I coincidentally walked in on the spontaneous singing of a Hebrew prayer song by a group of 30-odd Israelites, singing for their fallen forefathers in the gas chamber. That God allowed me to witness that is one of the most incredible things I've ever had the privilege of.
"Opinions vary on the number of Jews killed in the camps. One Historian says it was 1.1million. Another says it was 1.5million. But the fact remains, whatever the exact number is does not matter. When one was killed, it was already one too many."
Report from Auschwitz
Hiya evereyone!
So, I thought I'd just write a quick wee blog about what we've been doing on the trip!
On Thursday, we basically just did ice-breaker games and getting to know each other, and Friday morning was the same. Tis a good bunch, all from Germany apart from me and Judit, the majority are still in school, and then there's a few of us who are a bit older. But they're all grand. A few funny characters. One huy loves his Star Wars. Says if he sees anything to do with Star Wars he has to have it. Tis funny, cos most of us are reading books about Auschwitz or concentrations camps and he's reading some Star Wars book, lol!
On Friday afternoon we then did a role-play game, where some of us were Jews being made to work in a factory, and others were Nazi officials or police or shop-owners, who basically made the jews' lives difficult. I was a jew. Twas interesting. No matter how hard we worked it was near impossible to reach our quota, and therefore earn money. We were also punished for the littlest of things. And it was totally unfair. We were in a Munitions Factory, and were meant to do 20 cases of Munition a day, but one day I was given a different task to do, which meant at the end I didn't have 20 cases, and I therefore didn't get my pay. 2 people also got fed up and got themselves killed. I got sent to a camp and, strange as it sounds, was happy when I got brought out of the camp to work again, cos when you work you at least have a hope. Then, I wanted to destroy the factory. I had it all worked out, it was a munition's factory, if we destroyed it we'd make a big dent in the Nazi's plans, and it'd be easy to destroy cos it's got explosive things there. Yes, we'd have to die for it, but who cares, we'd hurt the Nazi's! I'd tried to convince my other Jews, but they were too cowardly. Twas interesting just the different emotions it brought out. And it was only a game!
On Saturday then we came to Oswiecim, the Polish name for the town where the Auschwitz concentration camp is. We're staying in a youth hostel here, which also has a german guy as a guide and helper, so that's handy. On Saturday night we watched a film based on a true story about a guy who was in a few camps. The film was crap, from a purely film point of view, it got on my nerves, but the story is insane, what the guy had to go through was awful!
On Sunday morning, thought, it got particularly mad. We met a lady who had been not only in Auschwitz, but also in another concentration camp. Halina Bierenbaum is her name, and you can look her up on t'internet, she's written books and been in documentary films and other things. That was truly insane to meet someone and here a first person account of everything that went on in the concentration camps. These are 3 things which are just insane:
1) "Auschwitz saved my life." She said that, because the other camp was even worse, but then she got sent to Auschwitz. Isn't that insane?
2) She was actually meant to be gassed. She was in the room with the other women, naked, looking at up at the supposed shower heads, knowing this was it. But then nothing happened, and a soldier came in and said they weren't working that day. There was some sort of problem and they could gas that day. She was then never selected again to be gassed.
3) She was shot, but still survived. When the Allies were nearing in on camps, a lot of the time the Nazi's tried to cover themselves, so to speak. They would burn all the documents. And sometimes, when the Allies were right on the doorstep they'd shoot any remaining prisoners as well. She was shot, twice, but both bullets missed her vital organs. She just said she felt the pain, but knew the Allies were coming, so would not give up now.
She was a living example of the power of hope. Her book is called "Hope dies last" and that's a fitting title for her life. And the joy she was able to experience again after surviving it all, it just made me so happy to see how she delighted in things.
We later did a tour of the town here, and went to the Jewish centre, which was built onto the synagogue which was built up after the war. The original had been torn down by the Nazi's in 1939. Before the war something like 55% of the population of Oswiecim was Jewish. Now there's not a single Jew living here.
We also bumped into a group of Americans who were staying at the hostel as well. Twas funny, I asked them where they were from, then said that I was from Ireland, and they were like, "Oh hey, Rob's from Ireland!" Then this guy with a full american accent starts speaking to me. Turns out his Grandparents are from Cork, but moved to America in the 50s. But fair play, they go home every summer, he usually spends 5 weeks in Cork during the summer.
So, hope you're all doing good! Just thought I'd let ya's know some of the things I've been experiencing here!
God bless you all!
The German-speaking Ginger Genius!
So, I thought I'd just write a quick wee blog about what we've been doing on the trip!
On Thursday, we basically just did ice-breaker games and getting to know each other, and Friday morning was the same. Tis a good bunch, all from Germany apart from me and Judit, the majority are still in school, and then there's a few of us who are a bit older. But they're all grand. A few funny characters. One huy loves his Star Wars. Says if he sees anything to do with Star Wars he has to have it. Tis funny, cos most of us are reading books about Auschwitz or concentrations camps and he's reading some Star Wars book, lol!
On Friday afternoon we then did a role-play game, where some of us were Jews being made to work in a factory, and others were Nazi officials or police or shop-owners, who basically made the jews' lives difficult. I was a jew. Twas interesting. No matter how hard we worked it was near impossible to reach our quota, and therefore earn money. We were also punished for the littlest of things. And it was totally unfair. We were in a Munitions Factory, and were meant to do 20 cases of Munition a day, but one day I was given a different task to do, which meant at the end I didn't have 20 cases, and I therefore didn't get my pay. 2 people also got fed up and got themselves killed. I got sent to a camp and, strange as it sounds, was happy when I got brought out of the camp to work again, cos when you work you at least have a hope. Then, I wanted to destroy the factory. I had it all worked out, it was a munition's factory, if we destroyed it we'd make a big dent in the Nazi's plans, and it'd be easy to destroy cos it's got explosive things there. Yes, we'd have to die for it, but who cares, we'd hurt the Nazi's! I'd tried to convince my other Jews, but they were too cowardly. Twas interesting just the different emotions it brought out. And it was only a game!
On Saturday then we came to Oswiecim, the Polish name for the town where the Auschwitz concentration camp is. We're staying in a youth hostel here, which also has a german guy as a guide and helper, so that's handy. On Saturday night we watched a film based on a true story about a guy who was in a few camps. The film was crap, from a purely film point of view, it got on my nerves, but the story is insane, what the guy had to go through was awful!
On Sunday morning, thought, it got particularly mad. We met a lady who had been not only in Auschwitz, but also in another concentration camp. Halina Bierenbaum is her name, and you can look her up on t'internet, she's written books and been in documentary films and other things. That was truly insane to meet someone and here a first person account of everything that went on in the concentration camps. These are 3 things which are just insane:
1) "Auschwitz saved my life." She said that, because the other camp was even worse, but then she got sent to Auschwitz. Isn't that insane?
2) She was actually meant to be gassed. She was in the room with the other women, naked, looking at up at the supposed shower heads, knowing this was it. But then nothing happened, and a soldier came in and said they weren't working that day. There was some sort of problem and they could gas that day. She was then never selected again to be gassed.
3) She was shot, but still survived. When the Allies were nearing in on camps, a lot of the time the Nazi's tried to cover themselves, so to speak. They would burn all the documents. And sometimes, when the Allies were right on the doorstep they'd shoot any remaining prisoners as well. She was shot, twice, but both bullets missed her vital organs. She just said she felt the pain, but knew the Allies were coming, so would not give up now.
She was a living example of the power of hope. Her book is called "Hope dies last" and that's a fitting title for her life. And the joy she was able to experience again after surviving it all, it just made me so happy to see how she delighted in things.
We later did a tour of the town here, and went to the Jewish centre, which was built onto the synagogue which was built up after the war. The original had been torn down by the Nazi's in 1939. Before the war something like 55% of the population of Oswiecim was Jewish. Now there's not a single Jew living here.
We also bumped into a group of Americans who were staying at the hostel as well. Twas funny, I asked them where they were from, then said that I was from Ireland, and they were like, "Oh hey, Rob's from Ireland!" Then this guy with a full american accent starts speaking to me. Turns out his Grandparents are from Cork, but moved to America in the 50s. But fair play, they go home every summer, he usually spends 5 weeks in Cork during the summer.
So, hope you're all doing good! Just thought I'd let ya's know some of the things I've been experiencing here!
God bless you all!
The German-speaking Ginger Genius!
Monday, 12 October 2009
Heimweh!
Hi Everyone!
(Steven has Irish teabags again! Nambarrie! Yeah!)
So, the last two weeks went grand! Work-wise things have been fine, as usual, though a bit disappointing has been the numbers attending things! Youth Group, Kids Club, SNL have all had low numbers over the past 2 weeks. Hopefully things will puck up again soon!
I organised Schulandacht in the Hospital this week! See, there's a school attached to the hospital we live at which teaches people to be nurses or old-folks-home-nurses, and every friday at 7:15am (!) they have a wee service. The thing is, barely any of them are Christian, or from a chruch background, and therefore are only there because they have to be. Tis interesting doing a little 15 minute long service for people who just aren't interested! But it went fine, I did a wee talk about 1 Corinthians 13v1, one of my favourite verses of the bible. And it went ok, I had some funny stuff at the start and actually got them laughing a bit. And afterwards one of the students said that she thought it was a cool sermon. Who knows, maybe something got through!
Then, from Monday to Wednesday of this past week my Mum and Dad were here. That was great! They brought me some things like extra clothes, a pair of football boots, my iStation, my shaving kit, football and movie magazines, a few books, some nibbles, and perhaps most importantly, TEABAGS!
Twas lovely having them here too, they're so encouraging and it was just nice to have some more familiar Northern Irish input for a few days. I showed them around a wee bit, and they got talking to Gillian for a little bit, and we went to the Italian restaurant, my favourite restaurant in Chemnitz, which we found together when they came over last year!
But, alas, once they left on Wednesday night, I started to get really homesick. That's why I entitled this Blog Heimweh, the German word for homesickness. Well, there were a few factors: I'd already been feeling a little down cos a friend of mine's having some problems and I'm not able to be there for her, then Mum and Dad reminded me of how I missed them, then a good friend of my sisters passed away at just 26-years-old on Thursday and my sister's struggling with it and I can't be there for her either. And there's Autumn Soul coming up and I haven't missed it for years. So I'm a little down at the moment, just cos of the homesickness.
But, work goes on, and life goes on here. On Thursday we're going on a trip to Auschwitz. It's like a Young Adults trip combined with visiting the Concentration Camp. So we spend a few days together doing a plan along with spiritual teaching, then we visit the camp, then we have another couple of days with more teaching to help us digest what we've just seen. Should be both a fun but very challenging trip.
I played for FC Arche again yesterday. We drew 1-1, though we probably deserved the win. I was a bit slow to start but had a much better second half. My Dad says it's just lack of match practice.
Played football tonight too, found it amusing how silly some people are when they're trying to be cool: one guy went and changed kit half-way through! He started off in Bayern Munich and when he came back after the drink-break he was wearing Brazil. Why wear two different kits?
I'm now going to go enjoy some of the tea Mother and Father brought me, along with the last of the Dairy Milk they brought me!
God bless you all, wherever you are, whatever you're doing!
Love, your favourite Ginger Nut!
(Steven has Irish teabags again! Nambarrie! Yeah!)
So, the last two weeks went grand! Work-wise things have been fine, as usual, though a bit disappointing has been the numbers attending things! Youth Group, Kids Club, SNL have all had low numbers over the past 2 weeks. Hopefully things will puck up again soon!
I organised Schulandacht in the Hospital this week! See, there's a school attached to the hospital we live at which teaches people to be nurses or old-folks-home-nurses, and every friday at 7:15am (!) they have a wee service. The thing is, barely any of them are Christian, or from a chruch background, and therefore are only there because they have to be. Tis interesting doing a little 15 minute long service for people who just aren't interested! But it went fine, I did a wee talk about 1 Corinthians 13v1, one of my favourite verses of the bible. And it went ok, I had some funny stuff at the start and actually got them laughing a bit. And afterwards one of the students said that she thought it was a cool sermon. Who knows, maybe something got through!
Then, from Monday to Wednesday of this past week my Mum and Dad were here. That was great! They brought me some things like extra clothes, a pair of football boots, my iStation, my shaving kit, football and movie magazines, a few books, some nibbles, and perhaps most importantly, TEABAGS!
Twas lovely having them here too, they're so encouraging and it was just nice to have some more familiar Northern Irish input for a few days. I showed them around a wee bit, and they got talking to Gillian for a little bit, and we went to the Italian restaurant, my favourite restaurant in Chemnitz, which we found together when they came over last year!
But, alas, once they left on Wednesday night, I started to get really homesick. That's why I entitled this Blog Heimweh, the German word for homesickness. Well, there were a few factors: I'd already been feeling a little down cos a friend of mine's having some problems and I'm not able to be there for her, then Mum and Dad reminded me of how I missed them, then a good friend of my sisters passed away at just 26-years-old on Thursday and my sister's struggling with it and I can't be there for her either. And there's Autumn Soul coming up and I haven't missed it for years. So I'm a little down at the moment, just cos of the homesickness.
But, work goes on, and life goes on here. On Thursday we're going on a trip to Auschwitz. It's like a Young Adults trip combined with visiting the Concentration Camp. So we spend a few days together doing a plan along with spiritual teaching, then we visit the camp, then we have another couple of days with more teaching to help us digest what we've just seen. Should be both a fun but very challenging trip.
I played for FC Arche again yesterday. We drew 1-1, though we probably deserved the win. I was a bit slow to start but had a much better second half. My Dad says it's just lack of match practice.
Played football tonight too, found it amusing how silly some people are when they're trying to be cool: one guy went and changed kit half-way through! He started off in Bayern Munich and when he came back after the drink-break he was wearing Brazil. Why wear two different kits?
I'm now going to go enjoy some of the tea Mother and Father brought me, along with the last of the Dairy Milk they brought me!
God bless you all, wherever you are, whatever you're doing!
Love, your favourite Ginger Nut!
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