Reflecting on Auschwitz 1

Walking through the gates of Auschwitz and reading the sign “ARBEIT MACHT FREI” meaning “Work Sets You Free,” was extremely difficult to comprehend. I could not believe that I was actually here. It took me a moment to process that I was standing on the grounds where heinous crimes occurred. What really struck me as I walked through the camp, was seeing the pictures of all of the prisoners on the wall, and learning about how dehumanized they were, from losing their “civilian clothing;" shaving their heads; and getting hardly any meals or no meals at all. Hearing this was extremely rough and made me think about all the suffering the prisoners went through.

Many of the prisoners were forced out of their homes and brought many belongings, including pots and pans. Talking in class and learning that they brought pots and pans with them was something that I always tried to put aside. It was odd to think that they brought kitchen household items, but that is because I learned of what occurred at the camps. The prisoners had no idea. Seeing all of the kitchenware as I walked through the room was an eye-opening experience. As they were being deported from their homes, they probably assumed that they were being moved somewhere else, so naturally they brought belongings like their pots and pans, in their minds, they did not think that they would be going to a concentration camp where they would be killed. I cannot even fathom bringing my personal belongings with me including, household items, only to find out that I would be going to a concentration camp where my life would soon come to an end.

Photo: Many of the pots and pans the prisoners bought with them.

What struck me the most were the photographs of the children. I always see pictures of adult prisoners, but I do not often see photos of the children. Seeing how frail, ill, and maltreated they were was extremely emotional. Many of these children had no idea what was going on, or what their fate would be, which I could only imagine would have been extremely terrifying and traumatizing. Especially, getting separated from their family and parents, and not knowing where they were going, must have also been terrifying for a child. Many of the children were dehumanized, starved and put to work, and had to wear prisoners’ uniforms. Seeing the pictures on the wall of the children was an emotional experience for me. Knowing how they were treated and what they went through made me horrified, especially seeing all of the shoes and children’s clothing. I cannot even imagine what they went through or even the thought of being taken away from my family. For the parents of the children, not knowing where their child was being taken or what fate lie ahead for them, must have been an extremely fearful experience.

There were 1.5 million Jewish children killed, between 140,000-150,000 Poles were killed, 2,300 Gypsies killed, and 13,000 Soviets killed. In reading "The Holocaust Kingdom" and how the Jews were dispersed from their land and learning about what belongings they could bring with them, then actually seeing those belongings in the camp, put so many things into perspective.

Talking in class about the number of prisoners who were killed and coming to the camp and seeing some of their pictures, put into context the severity of the suffering the prisoners went through and how humbling and emotional this is. All of the stories of the prisoners will live on as we remember them.

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Jewish victims and Why

The primary victim of the Holocaust was mainly the Jewish population of Europe. Over six million perished but there are reasons why Hitler targeted the Jews. There are also reasons why nobody understood why they were being attacked in the first place.

On March 20-21 we learned many reasons why the Jews were targeted and how it can relate to some of things we learned in class. Hitler’s hatred toward the Jews started when Germany lost World War One and went through the Great Depression. He felt with most of the Jewish population not supporting or fighting well enough on front, was the reason why Germany lost the war and why the country was in such a bad economy. Hitler used his Anti Semite and other racial hatred towards others to help him get into power. Only then his ultimate goal was to have a true Aryan nation. Hitler's main goal was to racially purify Europe. By this Hitler wanted to kill anyone that wasn’t an Arien and make sure that nobody would oppose him. So that germany won't ever lose or go back to the bad state it was in before. To this day it’s still never clear of where hitler's hatred for the Jews came from.

During our trip we learned more about Anti Semitism and how it relates to some articles we learned from the past. From class and in the tours, we were told the history of Anti Semitism and how it came to be. Many people are Anti Semitic because they always believe in the same thing. One of which is the killing of Jesus. They all blame Jews for most of world's failures because they see Jews as parasites who take away good advantages and always have more money than others. This and other religious beliefs begin the hatred which will then lead to genocide. In the yellow book “Memory and Reconciliation Part A” was an article called “The Address to the Churches”. It had a section called the Ten Points. In the Ten Points it talks about how Jews and Christianity are very similar and how they have a lot to do with each other. The first major point that it talks about is how Jesus was Jewish. What many Anti Semites forget is that Jesus was Jewish and fail to realize that he was king of the Jews. Also it talks about how God spoke through the Old and New Testaments. The last example that I can think of is that since Jesus was Jewish and that people use the word Jew as if they were enemies of Jesus make us believe that they where. When obviously they weren’t. The Jews were Jesus’s people and they weren’t his enemies.

There are many reasons and excuses why people are Anti Semitic but all we know is that we must learn. What I have learned is that people will have hatred for something without even having good facts about it and not looking at the people of they target, and think they are not human. In one of the museums we went to. Marian Kolodziej a catholic who survived the holocaust drew the hatred of the victims of the Holocaust. His work showed the Jews and other victims as zombies as they were starved, beaten, tortured, and killed. To this day I will never and nobody will ever know a good reason why this hatred has occurred or happened. People believe it began in the 19th century or later. But the only question is why do people have a hatred for a group of people who Jesus represented and was apart of.

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Gas Chambers and Deportation

Today on March 18th 2019 me and my class visited the concentration camp of Auschwitz on our spring break trip to Poland. This was personally my first time to be in Europe and to ever experience something like this.

On this day we took our first tour of part 1 of the German Concentration Camp. Once we first got their we saw the famous gate with the words “Work shall set you free.” but in reality it didn’t. While we explored the concentration camp I came across the gas chambers. This was pretty graphic because I saw the scratch marks of the people who were trying to desperately get out as they slowly died. As I was exposed to this environment I couldn’t help but think about the visualization of what these people went through as they were slowly being poisoned and trying to desperately get out and not die.

Another part of the camp we saw was a room full of hair from female victims. This was a shock. One reason because after all of my readings and knowledge of the holocaust I have never heard or seen something like this. Apparently when the females were killed in the gas chambers their hair would be cut off, or if any female victims died their hair would be taken. Once the Nazis took their hair off they would use the hair for themselves. The hair would be used for insulations, parts for boots, and warmth for their cloths, Seeing this made you wonder especially since most of these were ponytails. Who did that ponytail belong to? What was their story before and during this mass genocidal campaign. It just makes you wonder “Wow that use to be somebody's ponytail.”

After we left Auschwitz we went to a railroad track. Their Professor Folly told us how this was where the Jews were deported and where they stood as they were to be sent of to the camp. As I was told about this information I thought about the book we read for the class. The book we read was called “The Holocaust Kingdom”. In the book it would often talk about how Jews were deported consistently to the death camps. While I was there standing the only thing I could think about was the SS men and their dogs forcing people into the trains and dragging others out of their home. While standing in place you can feel the conception of the scene when the Jews were forced out of their homes and place in trains. On March 19th when we saw the train carts you can really see and just sense the over crowdedness when they were forcibly crammed in these karts against their own will.

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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 about what we may have seen and heard at the concentration camps just a few short weeks ago. However, when given time to reflect on my experience once again, many questions race through my mind: “Have I done my part in advocating for human dignity? Can people tell what my experiences were like through my actions? Is the memory of the Shoah alive in my everyday life?”

During our last night in Poland, we had a group discussion about how we would take what we learned there and use it in our lives back in New York. We talked about spreading advocacy and love, ultimately as part of an effort to avoid any hatred and discrimination like what was evident in the Shoah. The Holocaust and Nazi Germany are not things that should be forgotten. Rather, they should be the lens through which we look at the future of our world. They should recognized, and in doing so, there will be more efforts made in preventing it from happening again. After all, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” –George Santayana

While in Poland, we stayed at the Centre for Prayer and Dialogue—two important things when discussing the Holocaust. The Centre encourages visitors to simply talk about what happened just a block away during the Second World War, and does so in a peaceful, welcoming way. This dialogue focuses on four different “voices: the voice of the earth, the voice of your heart, the voice of the other, and the voice of God. Engaging in dialogue while listening to these four voices can lead to a world of understanding and of acceptance.

Father Manfred, in one of his lectures, reminded us that dialogue is necessary so that all people can live together and form trust with open encounters. He also said, in another lecture, that it is better to look into somebody’s eyes, rather than at them while engaging in this dialogue. By doing this, we are observing something that lies behind the eyes and therefore developing a deeper relationship with the person. Our relationships, according to Father Manfred, and the responsibility we have in them is what helps us make sense of our lives.

These wise words from Father Manfred go hand-in-hand with the Teaching of Respect. Documents that were discussed in class like Nostra Aetate, We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah, Dabru Emet, and many more are all a part of the Teaching of Respect, which is in direct response to the Teaching of Contempt. I have faith that the world is progressively reaching a point of acceptance, love, and respect for all humans. It is no secret that it best reached through prayer and dialogue, as we got to experience first-hand during our unforgettable time spent in Poland.

An image of stones at the entrance of Auschwitz-Birkenau. In the Jewish faith, stones are used instead of flowers for remembrance, as they are permanent.

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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 as thorough knowledge of the Holocaust among a majority of Americans. This lack of knowledge is more pronounced among millennials, whom the survey defined as people ages 18 to 34, the future of this country. As reported by The Times: “Thirty-one percent of Americans, and 41 percent of millennials, believe that two million or fewer Jews were killed in the Holocaust; the actual number is around six million. Forty-one percent of Americans, and 66 percent of millennials, cannot say what Auschwitz was. And 52 percent of Americans wrongly think Hitler came to power through force.” This is unacceptable in one of the most educated nations in the world but not necessarily surprising. With each passing decade, events such as the Holocaust can be forgotten and dismissed as mistakes of the past. The only mistake to be made, however, is the mistake of allowing people to forget one of the darkest times in human history.

Keeping the memory of the Shoah alive is vital to our future, for "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Hearing the testimonies of those who survived the Shoah is one way to keep the memory alive, although this is becoming a difficult task as time goes by and survivors eventually pass away. That is why it is important as an educator to pass this information along to the next generation of scholars. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to hear the stories of several survivors of the Holocaust since January, including the survivor we met with at the JCC in Kraków. I was able to record most of these testimonies and plan on one day transcribing these memories so that they can be both heard and read. These firsthand accounts give you a small glimpse into a bloody period in history where men, women, and children were slaughtered by the millions.

Education about the Holocaust is also of the utmost importance, especially considering the results of the survey reported by The New York Times. While in Poland we attended two classes at Auschwitz I, as well as lectures at the Centre for Dialogue and Prayer in Oświęcim (where we stayed during our trip). One lecture we attended at Auschwitz that I found very interesting was taught by Teresa Wontor-Cichy and titled “Christian Clergy and Religious Life at Auschwitz”. Many do not realize that while the majority of people killed during the Holocaust were Jewish, Christians died as well. Such is the case with Saint Maximilian Kolbe, who offered to die in place of a stranger when that person was selected for death. After the lecture, Professor Wontor-Cichy showed us the area where Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to die, making me wonder if I could have done what he did had I been in his shoes. Effective Holocaust education is a topic that will need to be addressed sooner than later and hopefully more people become aware of the facts. As a History major, I had decided to focus on U.S. history as my specialty but after visiting Poland and seeing those death camps, I have decided to focus on Holocaust history. My classmates and I were given an opportunity to experience something that not many people will have the chance to experience. It is our obligation to help keep the memory of the Shoah alive and educate those who are unaware of what occurred during the Holocaust so that it may never happen again. Remember: we must never forget.

Belongings plundered from the victims of Auschwitz by the SS, found after the liberation of the camp.

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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 was selected to be executed. This man begged to not be killed and said, “I have a wife and child!” Father Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward and claimed his place. The Nazis were surprised to see anyone stand up for someone and talk to them the way the Father Maximilian Kolbe did. One of the Nazi even told him to step back in line, but he insisted to take this strangers place and said, “I have no children or family. Let me take his place.” I was very moved when I heard this story, and when I saw the location where this happened.

This picture is the room in which Father Maximilian Kolbe and the other 9 prisoners were placed to die.

Father Manfield mention to us that after 2 weeks of not having any food or water, and being locked in such a small room, the father as well as 2 other man survived. The rest who were locked in this cell had died. Those who shockingly survived the harsh conditions in this cell, then were killed. The fact that the father Maximilian Kolbe lasted for so long in such conditions, meant a lot to me. It showed me how far his faith and good deals brought him. Looking at how small the cell was reminded me of Stan Ronell story. He too was locked in a very tight close space. However, unlike Father Maximilian Kolbe, he was in a closet in a house hiding with his mother. Both Stan Ronell and Father Maximilian Kolbe saw not light for days.

In my psychology classes I learned that humans not only need the sunlight, so they can make large amounts of vitamins D, but also for their mental health as well. When humans are exposed to sunlight, the brain releases serotonin. This is related to helping someone feel calm, and focused. There have also been other studies that states that serotonin helps someone feel happy. Those who do not have enough exposure, may be more prone to depression symptoms. These results have been tested in the north part of Alaska where half the year it is just sunny, and the other half is pure darkness. In addition to all the other factors that many individuals who were victims of the SHOAH faced, it can be said this additional factor only made it worst for them. Not only where the Nazis hurting them physically, but also mentally. This historic trauma may still be seen in those who were affect because of the SHOAH.

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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, or many a life changing experiences. Since I have been home I feel as though I think about the trip at least once a day and it is not only in relation to antisemitism or Jews, but I use it as a way to think about other daily activities. As our guest speaker Dr. Annamaria Orla-Bukowska said, you can use the Shoah as a lens to look at the rest of the world regardless of the topic. I cannot say how meaningful this trip was. I believe everyone should learn about the Holocaust in a similar way to how we did with great depth. While going through 13 years of school before college, it was barley taught in high school: it was treated as a very brief history lesson which is wrong. The teaching of the Shoah is an ongoing lesson, a lesson many individuals still need to learn.

It is said that the reason we learn about topics like this is so that they never happen again. Yet we also learned there have been 7 genocides since the Holocaust, none with nearly as many victims which is why it is not widely covered. We also learned that since the Holocaust, the United Nations decided that if we label something a genocide that means we must act without question. This shows that not only do the people not learn, but neither do the nations. A common phrase you hear after the Holocaust is “Never Again,” but we as students of Jewish Christian Relations and the Holocaust have to ensure “Never Again.” It is our duty after taking in all the facts and after a full semester concentrating deeply into the matter that we be activists. It does not take much; it can begin as just confronting people who spew hate. In order to move forward we need to help all move forward. There are some people in this world who are just hateful, and regardless of any facts you give or any time you tell them not to say something, they will just say it more but it is important to try. We now know what one man’s hate can cause. The flag of the prisoners of Auschwitz still flies every day. While 10 million died, Hitler still lost. If people learn the holocaust perhaps the next hatful person will lose without ever taking a life. It is ignorant to believe we can stop all hate, but it is not unrealistic to believe we can stop another atrocity. Everyone must act when in the face of hate.

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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, I remember feeling incredible nervous: what will this trip bring me? As we landed, I felt ready, ready to embark on the journey many people do not get the opportunity to. And for that, I felt lucky. We drove in separate buses to the Center and I had no idea what the week would bring. Fast forward 7 days later, being in those same buses, but with a completely different outlook on life. My thoughts on this bus ride and the flights following reflected on the innocent lives of 6 million people. 6 million. How could this happen? Who could do this? As Dr. Annamarie Orla-Bukowska mentioned, studying the Shoah only left me with more questions than answers.

As I saw my friends and family the weeks following our trip to Poland, I received the same questions, “How was Poland?” An answer to this question seemed almost impossible. I had two options: say it was good and move on, or educate others on the living memorial of the Shoah. I explained to many of them the tragedies I saw, the wonderful people I had met, and the effect the trip had on my own life. I could no longer be a bystander to the ignorant and hateful views of people around me. I could no longer sit quietly when I heard someone being mistreated. I have a voice that must be heard. The Shoah was real, it affected real people, and caused real pain and suffering on innocent lives. This is not something we shall forget, but something we shall remember indefinitely.

Dr. Annamaria Orla-Bukowska, a professor from the Institute of Sociology at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, spoke at Iona College on April 16th for the “William H. Donat Shoah Commemoration Teaching the Holocaust Where It Happened” event. Although we had already traveled to Poland, this presentation taught me even more about my experience and studies in Jewish-Christian Relations. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Annamaria Orla-Bukowska traveled to Poland to learn more about her Polish heritage and the tragedies that occurred under the Nazi Regime. As she became integrated in the Polish culture, she found herself with more questions than answers in her field of study. Eventually, she moved to Poland fulltime to fulfill her passion for the Holocaust and it’s living memorial. Dr. Annamarie Orla-Bukowska’s dedication to the memory of the Shoah is something we should all look up to as students in Jewish-Christian relations. Like she said during her speech, we must use the Holocaust as a lens to other issues that can occur in the world.

Memorial site at the Plaszow labor camp in Krakow, Poland.

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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 word, picture, and thought about the Holocaust. Although our time spent in Poland was physically and emotionally draining at points, I left our experience with a new outlook and understanding on the Shoah and the importance of seeing the hope that could be found amidst the tragedy.

A statue of Saint Pope John Paul II, located between his childhood home and the church he was baptized in.

During our time abroad we had opportunities to see the beautiful parts of Poland such as Wadowice. We visited Saint Pope John Paul II’s childhood home where I couldn’t help but be inspired by his life and his faith in God. As I reflect on the experiences now, after returning it is easy to overlook the inspiration that has come from Saint Pope John Paul II.

“I plead with you--never, ever give up on hope, never doubt, never tire, and never become discouraged. Be not afraid.” These words spoken by Saint Pope John Paul II hold incredible truth to his advocacy towards those who were murdered just miles away from his childhood home at Auschwitz. As part of his attempt to commemorate and remember the deaths of those who were murdered in the Shoah, he gave a speech at Yad Vashem, the official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, located in Jerusalem. His speech mirrored the points made in the Nostra Aetate about promoting unity and honoring the memory of the Shoah. The theme of remembrance is found throughout both writings as well as the explanation of Jewish- Christian relations post World War II. Saint Pope John Paul II, used his platform to effectively advocate and be aware of the destruction that occurred in his home land. He is someone who brought goodness to the most awful of situations.

Our time in Poland consisted of 2 days walking the ground of Auschwitz I. I must admit the first day was very overwhelming, it didn’t feel real to walk on ground where millions were tortured and killed mainly due to what they believed. Religion has always been a large part of my life, which is why I was interested in the story of Maksymilian Kolbe, a Polish, Franciscan priest who fell victim to the Holocaust and was killed at Auschwitz. Kolbe was a Catholic friar who made the conscious choice to remain in the monastery after the war started. At the monastery, which was used as a make-shift hospital he continued to publish religious works for citizens during the war until he was arrested in 1941. During his time spent at Auschwitz (as prisoner number 16670) he was tortured and beaten for staying true to his faith.

During role call one morning the SS officers realized that a prisoner was missing. Due to the prisoner’s collective responsibility, they were punished and ten innocent people were sentenced to death by starvation. One of the people was a man named Franciszek Gajowniczek, who upon being called out began to cry out to his family. Immediately Kolbe, approached the SS officers and asked to take the man’s place. Kolbe was sentenced to death in place of the man, who ended up surviving Auschwitz and the Holocaust.

A plaque located on Block 14, the location where Maksymilian Kolbe stood up to the Nazi’s to take the place of a prisoner who was sentenced to death.

Kolbe demonstrated incredible faith and goodness up until his death in July 1941. We had the opportunity to visit the cell that Maximilian Kolbe was prisoner in for the 2 weeks with no food. Still during the most difficult points of his life, he managed to comfort fellow prisoners and hold mass and pray the rosary with others. Even at the moment of his death he exhibited grace and compassion, which is why Pope John Paul II canonized him as a saint. In the words of Father Manfred, “The Nazis may have killed him, but they could not kill his love.” He is someone who has allowed me to see the goodness of people throughout the worst of what humanity can bring.

This cell is where Maksymilian Kolbe spent 2 weeks suffering from dehydration and starvation until he was eventually killed by lethal injection.

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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 contains an installation of thirty-three cast iron and bronze chairs. This memorial was resurrected in memory of the Polish Jews of Krakow that were imprisoned and murdered in the Krakow ghetto and German death camps during World War II. The chairs signify both the presence and absence of life. A standard, household object, typically filled with a living being stands empty for the rest of time. The Shoah took the lives of so many, leaving an emptiness in their place.

I found this memorial especially moving due to its location. The chairs were scattered out in the center of a busy market square. It has been over seventy years since the end of World War II, yet hundreds of people will pass this memorial every day and think for even just a moment about the weight of the lives lost. I believe this acknowledgement is an important factor in the recognition and prevention of such a tragedy never happening again.

Imagery seen such as Ghetto Heroes Square opens up an opportunity for dialogue on the topic. In a world where many may believe that since the Shoah ended, the time for discussion is over, memorials such as these go against this notion. To feel the presence of the absence of a community means that there are still emotions to be felt and words to be said on the subject. So, the absence of the presence of conversation is detrimental to the healing process.

In Poland, I had the privilege of meeting Fr. Manfred and listening to him lecture on different aspects of the Shoah. At the start of one of his lectures, he said “you cannot sit here and say you are for peace and do nothing” (Fr. Manfred, Center for Dialogue and Prayer). I believe this message should be shared in any situation where there are injustices occurring. It is so important to not become the bystander. Part of not being the bystander includes continuing the stream of dialogue. In order to end the absence of conversation, it is our responsibility to advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves or join them in solidarity.

Fr. Manfred also taught us that “we need to trust one another, which is difficult when history proves otherwise. It can only happen through conversation” (Fr. Manfred, Center for Dialogue and Prayer). This statement reiterates the significance of the introduction and continuation of communication. History has revealed that silence only strengthens adversities, so only through trust, acknowledgement, and reflection can reconciliation begin.

The presence of absence and absence of presence indicates a broken cycle in society. The memorial of chairs in Ghetto Heroes Square is a step to heal that brokenness through acknowledgement of the lives lost in the Shoah. The installation and Fr. Manfred’s words taught me the importance of having a voice, and using its power to advocate.

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