Forever - Kara Pacewicz

Auschwitz II - Birkenau.

25 acres of land was devoted to only one of the horrific concentration camps. Auschwitz - II Birkenau is bigger than anyone could imagine. When driving up you could see the train tracks that lead directly through the entrance of the camp. When turning to your right you see barracks on barracks that seem to disappear in the distance. As we walk up the dipped in stairs from all those who have walked up and down them we see the view of the entire camp. As I take the last step up the stairs I lost my breath, the size of this camp is unimaginable. The train tracks seem as if they will never end, the barracks are uncountable, and the size of the camp goes beyond the trees.

Our tour guide took us around as she explained the parts of the camp. One barrack was filled with concrete circles in the ground for the prisoners to use for the bathroom. 2,000 people would fit in a barrack at time, due to the amount of holes in the concrete compared to the amount of prisoners, each person would only have 25 seconds to use the bathroom in order for all of them to have a chance to go. We also had the chance to go into the barracks where the men, women and children slept. It was devastating to see that they had to sleep on concrete or wood panels, and sometimes with no hay. The ones who were all the way on the bottom were most likely bitten by rats and or eaten alive by insects.

Our next stop was the platform. The platform meant death for most of the prisoners. This was the time when the SS officers would decide who would go to the chambers to die or to stay on the camp to work. This was the moment most died, it was the moment their lives would come to an end. Some like to say, they lost their lives on the platform not the chambers.

The bathroom for the prisoners.

How can this be real?

How did 6 million actually die due to what they believe in?

Seeing the gas chambers is a sight and memory I will never forget. Even though they were destroyed, seeing the steps that led to the “changing room” is an inexpressible feeling. The SS officers would tell the prisoners to go down the stairs and undress, along with this they would tell the kids to tie their shoes together so they wouldn’t loose them when they came back from the “showers,” as well with telling the adults to remember their hook number so they knew where their clothes were going to be when finishing. Of course, they weren’t showers, and they didn’t need their clothes and shoes after. The SS officers went as far as telling them little lies just so they would think they were actually entering showers and not gas chambers. The fact that they thought so deep to come up with these little ideas to trick the prisoners makes everything even sicker.

The stairs leading to the "changing room."

There were a few moments during this trip I was able to reflect upon what I have seen and experienced. One of these moments took place right outside Birkenau. There were three graves, each one read, “To the memory of the men, women, and children who fell victim to the Nazi genocide. Here lie their ashes. May their souls rest in peace.” Here we lit a candle and laid rocks on top of the grave. Doctor Nadel prepared a prayer ceremony for us to read. As we prayed and showed our remorse, thoughts and thoughts ran through my head. The hair, the size of the camps, the children, the drawings, the experimentations, the deaths, the railroad tracks, the wooden pole where those were hung, the poor and innocent people who suffered, tortured, and died. It all ran through my head at once, I became upset, angry, sad, heartbroken, and anxious. How could have so many human beings join together and believe that such actions are okay?

The grave we prayed too.

But with these feelings, I also overcame with honor, honor because I feel so incredibly blessed to be here in Poland with the other students and professors and to learn, experience, feel, and reflect on one of the most horrific events in human history. Words can not express how honor and proud of myself from coming here to honor all those who have passed and all those who have suffered due to this horrific event. I can never thank those who have given me the chance to be here enough, Professor Procario-Foley, Iona College, and my parents. Forever will this trip be with me, along with those who were prisoners and victims of the Holocaust.