Prayer and Dialogue

This image perfectly captures the solemnity of the day that we spent at Auschwitz I. I could not help but be reminded of the words, “the presence of absence and the absence of presence”. It has been almost two months since returning from Poland. Though we know the importance of keeping the memory of the Shoah alive, sometimes that becomes difficult. There are endless distractions as part of our day-to-day lives that easily allow us to forget...

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Memory And Education: We Must Never Forget

It has now been over two months since we returned from Poland but it seems like only yesterday we were walking through the gates of Auschwitz I. Describing my experience at the death camps has not been easy but I have done my best to put it into words because it is essential, now more than ever, to educate others on the matter. A recent survey, as reported by The New York Times, found there are critical gaps both in awareness of basic facts as well...

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Hero

Above is a picture of where Father Maximilian Kolbe's humble act took place. This picture was taken in Auschwitz I right where Father Maximilian Kolbe’s humble act took place. Prior to attending this trip I did not know who he was, but after hearing his story I was very moved. In the lecture by Father Manfield, we learned that when one prisoner escaped 10 prisoners were punished and killed. When one of the prisoners escaped, a man...

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Never Again

It has been slightly over a month since we arrived back home from Poland. Since I’ve been back I have had many people contact me saying what a wonder experience it must have been. It was definitely an experience, but perhaps, wonderful is not the right word. We learned so much about how important words are and what they really mean; how a word or a phrase could change history. The phrase I would use is a once in a life time experience,...

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A Duty to Remember and Never Forget

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” –Elie Wiesel It has been almost 2 months since I have left New York to indulge myself in the Polish culture and increase my knowledge in Jewish-Christian relations. Thinking back to the flight from Amsterdam to Krakow,...

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Finding The Good, Amidst The Awful

Upon returning from Poland, many people have asked me questions about my experience and what I took away from the class and the trip. Some questions that always seems to pop up from time to time are questions about if the trip was sad or if it was depressing to see Auschwitz. At first it was difficult to answer these questions, not because I did not know what to say, but because of the shear amount of information and history that is behind each...

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Presence of Absence and the Absence of Presence

The concept of the presence of absence and the absence of presence has been touched upon numerous times throughout the course Memory and Reconciliation: The Churches and the Holocaust. When pertaining to the Shoah, often people are aware that this devastation of a community occurred, but the discussion on how to move forward is lacking. Ghetto Heroes Square in Krakow The above photo was taken in Ghetto Heroes Square in Krakow. The Square...

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Deception

This picture shows the inside of one of the many Gas Chambers that were used during the Shoah. This picture was taken in Auschwitz I. The moment I walked into this room I felt very cold and got a distinctive smell. This smell and taste of the Gas Chamber followed me all day for the next three days of this trip. I felt nauseous as I continued to “taste” this smell. As I walked in this room, all I could think was of those who marched into this...

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Dehumanization

A picture of how the bunkers looked in the wooden barracks. This week has been a very emotional week for me as well as everyone in my team. We read several different texts to learn more about the Shoah, but there is so much that the readings could not cover. The picture above is a picture of one of the barracks that is located in Auschwitz II, Birkenau. When I first saw this barrack, my first thought was how similar it looks to a horse stable....

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From Judaism To Catholicism And Back Again

Friday morning, March 16, we traveled to Kraków to visit the Jewish Community Centre (JCC) of Kraków. It was there that we met Olga, who told us a little about herself and her Jewish ancestry. She also gave us information about the JCC itself, which is a Jewish cultural and educational centre that opened in 2008 as the result of an initiative by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. The JCC is the de facto Jewish visitors center for Kraków,...

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Sticks and Stones May Break my Bones, But Words…

Advertisement of “Der Ewige Jude” (The Eternal Jew), a 1940 antisemitic German Nazi propaganda film. This film was disguised as a documentary. It has been one week since I last stepped on the grounds of Auschwitz I. Since my return from Poland, I have found myself especially sensitive to the use of words and phrases in everyday conversation, political discussion, and broadcast outlets. This stems from my shock at the absolute power of words-...

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Hope

A rose left on the bunk of a wooden barrack at Auschwitz Birkenau. A calligraphy/hand-lettered piece on Hope. “Despite everything, I still believe people are good at heart.” - Anne Frank Similar to my last blog post, I begin with an Anne Frank quote. In contrast, this post is about hope, as opposed to hopelessness. To me, this quote displays hope in humanity, regardless of how horrifically Frank’s family and other Jewish families were...

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16670

Religion in Auschwitz is a topic I never thought about before coming to Poland. I always figured the victims were always more concerned with getting from one day to the next rather than if they would be able to practice their religion. However, its important to be able to practice because any detail you can do to maybe make the experience even a little less painful is very important, and practicing religion could be one of those things. The main...

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THE JUXTAPOSITION OF AUSCHWITZ

Before my trip to Poland, I had many preconceptions and ideas of what I thought I was going to see and what my experiences would consist of. Although I had seen pictures, learned about the history, and heard stories from various people, nothing could have prepared me for stepping foot onto one of the largest mass graveyards in history. The experiences I have had during my time in Poland have truly opened my eyes into the cruel torment of people...

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Where Was God?

The “Wall of Death”, located at Block 11. This courtyard outside of Block 11 and the block itself were mainly used as direct killing sites. Just the other day, I was walking through Auschwitz I… which is a sentence I never thought I would say. Doing so, millions of thoughts raced through my mind. As a devout Christian, I can’t help but think about why God would let such a cruel thing happen. If God is so loving and so forgiving, then where...

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The Power of Kinship in the Camps

This blog post references The Holocaust Kingdom, a memoir written by Alexander Donat. This work was originally written in 1963; all quotes are from the 1999 edition. "“Kinship is…being one with the other.” "– Fr. Gregory Boyle, Tattoo on the Heart Holocaust survivors displaying their numbered tattoos as assigned at concentration camps. During my time in Poland, I have gained a wealth of knowledge and insight with regards to the experience...

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Imagine All the People

A rock that was on the ground near an original cattle car for Auschwitz that says, “Imagine all the people living a life of peace.” When reflecting on my experiences in Auschwitz 1 and Auschwitz-Birkenau I can’t help but remember the people of all the lives lost during WWII. All of the people that the Nazis took to the concentration camps and killed who had been living normal lives. And in seconds their lives were turned upside down and taken...

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Childhood Innocence

Above portrays a drawing from a child and their interpretation of the Shoah. This drawing exemplifies how the Shoah stripped many children from their childhood innocence. “I’ve found that there is always some beauty left—in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.” - Anne Frank As I walked through the bunkers at Auschwitz I, I felt chills as I looked at photos of small children and their families. As humans, we selfishly...

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Traumatic Impact of the Holocaust on Adolescent Behavior

The following blog references Alexander Donat’s memoir, The Holocaust Kingdom, the 1999 edition, originally written in 1963. Replication of a Child’s Drawing of KL Birkenau (Auschwitz II). When visiting the Auschwitz I Museum, I took interest in a room filled with children’s drawings from the war years. The room was part of the Shoah exhibit in Block 27. The above drawing displays the railroad tracks leading into the entrance of Auschwitz...

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