Reflecting on Auschwitz Birkenau

Walking through the train tracks to Auschwitz Birkenau, there were so many thoughts running through my head. Thoughts of walking on the same exact path the prisoners walked to get to the death camp, where they would soon be murdered; thoughts of walking to one of the biggest graveyard sites in history. I was imagining myself sitting in the tight cramped spaces of the cattle car of the train with my belongings or possibly nothing, wondering what my fate would be. Walking down the path towards the death camp, I thought about walking it with no shoes, hardly any clothing, and possibly not having eaten a meal on this long journey. What would I do once the Cattle car stopped, and I was walking towards the camp? I can only imagine how the prisoners felt upon their arrival to the camp.

Arriving at the camp and seeing how enormous it was, was truly shocking. I thought to myself “wow this is extremely big, bigger than I had imagined it to be or what I had seen in photos.” Going up to the watch tower and looking out really put into perspective how big it was. Being in the watch tower, I thought about all of the SS officers who would sit up there and watch all of the prisoners to ensure that no one escaped. Walking through the gates of the camp I saw that the camp was exactly like what I had seen in pictures and the “Last Days Film.” Victims like Alice Lok Cahana, who walked through the camp and could identify each building and the atrocities that occurred in those buildings. One thing that I found interesting was that in the film Alice said that while they were in the latrine, they would pray on the Sabbath. They couldn’t communicate due to the language barriers, but they knew the same prayers.

Seeing the train tracks going through the gates of the camp and imagining the prisoners going off to their deaths, was extremely depressing and heartbreaking. Walking through the camp and seeing all of the barracks from the men’s to the children’s to the women’s and seeing the living conditions was saddening. Seeing the rows of bunk beds that they had to sleep on, the washroom, and the toilets was so unsettling. What struck me the most was where the prisoners changed before going to the gas chambers and seeing what was left of the gas chamber and crematorium. While walking through the camp I thought what if I was in the prisoner’s position, what I would do? How would I live and work in the camp? How would I survive? I honestly do not think I would have lasted a week. The prisoners showed so much courage and resilience. I also believe their faith got them through the horrors. The fact that they were going through this torture and still never once gave up their faith! They were truly courageous!