Today’s visit to Auschwitz was
quite an experience. I was finally able
to actually put images to the personal knowledge that I have acquired regarding
the Shoah. When I saw the standing room area, I finally understood exactly how
little space there was for these individuals in the camps. I could not believe
that those areas held four people within them. Additionally, it was quite moving to be able
to see the chamber in which St. Maximillian Kolbe gave his life to save his
Jewish friend. He is one of my favorite
saints and now I can finally put his story in proper perspective by actually
seeing the place where he lived and died.
An image that struck me as
extremely profound was the image of the starved baby crying for help and
nourishment: I immediately was moved with compassion for those who had been
deprived of food. It reminds me of the importance in my own life to be sure
that I always help those in need if I am faced with an opportunity to provide
for them. Additionally, I began to think
about the story in the Donat book regarding the Jewish families who kept their
children in the knapsacks for protection, and how these children were shot by
the Nazis when they cried inside the knapsacks. This image was so powerful and
moved me greatly.
I began to feel sick to my stomach as I saw
various exhibits such as the hair, shoes, and bags of the people at the camps.
Also, the gas chambers were extremely disturbing to me. I cannot believe that
human beings would be so cruel to their fellow humans.
However, human beings make mistakes,
and even among all of the hate, there must be forgiveness. We must remember not
to prejudice anyone for anything that occurred here, for as Fr. Manford stated within his lecture last night, we are all made in God’s Image and Likeness
and deserve to be treated with human dignity (Manford 2013). Hate does not solve anything, and it is quite
easy to hate others for what they have done in this regard. Even though the treatment of those in the
camps makes me quite furious, I do not hate these people for what they did.
Jesus loved the sinner yet hated the sin, and told those who accused the woman
of adultery in the Bible to cast the first stone if they had no sin. As a
result of this experience, I desire to become even more understanding of others
than I currently am in my life.
I do not want to go back to Auschwitz because
of the intensity of the images and scenes there. I feel that once is enough for
me. I do not want to further overwhelm myself nor return to take any more
pictures nor again review those exhibits. I was glad to realize that this
experience at Auschwitz was not as scary as I thought it would be: I was able
to contain my emotions and that is due to the fact that I asked a great amount
of people to pray for both myself and the others attending our trip.
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