I boarded another train for Poland and settled in for the
scenic nine hour ride. I had been looking forward to the trip as I have an
interest in war history and Krakow was an important administrative center for
the regional Reich. It was also the location of the Płaszów and Auschwitz
concentration camps. Fortunately due to its geographic location and lack of
high value targets much of the city remained intact after the war. In 1978 the
Old Town was placed on the first UNESCO World Heritage list.
Image 1
Image 2
Wawel Castle is a pristine Gothic
structure built in the 14th century. During WW2 it was the
occupation force’s headquarters. Today it is a well maintained national museum
with beautiful accompanying gardens. The craftsmanship was outstanding.
Image 3
Image 4
Old Town is the main draw in the
central city. The main square contains a small bazar and is surrounded by
cathedrals and other ornate buildings. These are the Saint Peter and Paul 12
Disciples and the Old Town Tower. This is the cleanest and best maintained
historical district I have seen. It is obvious a great deal of effort is made
to insure these structures survive for future generations.
As beautiful as Krakow is it is
inevitable that you will end up visiting Auschwitz- Birkenau. It was a warm
spring day when I visited which was at total odds with the spirit of the place.
It saw 1.1 million pass through before the Soviet
liberation in January of 1945.
Image 5
Auschwitz I Outer
Road
Image 6
Auschwitz I
Crematorium
Image 7
Auschwitz II Barracks
Image 8
Auschwitz II
Electrified Fence
Image 9
Auschwitz II
Crematorium Pond
It was difficult to imagine the
numbers massacred, even after seeing the shoe piles, until I saw hundreds of
pounds of human ash that still remain 70 years later. It was particularly sad
as this was located in the family camp. I have heard survivors speak of their
experiences at the camps but it was not concrete to me until witnessing the
grounds. It was certainly a sad day but I feel it was an important experience
for me.
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