We decided to take a trip over the Veterns day holiday. The kids had the previous Friday off for parent conferences, and the next Tuesday (so, they missed school on Monday). We checked Ryan Air to see what was available, and Wroclaw, Poland was cheap, so that's where we went.
I'm starting out of order of our trip because I don't want these pictures to be the first ones I see when I open my blog ...
We rented a car Sunday night, and drove to Auschwitz on Monday morning (about 2 hours away). I don't think our time in Germany would be complete without a trip to a concentration camp, but wow ... what an experience ...
This is a veiw on our way out of the camp. ..
One of (many) disturbing things was the layout of the buildings ... It reminded me of visiting colonial museums in the states. But, instead of seeing the charming way the first settlers of America lived and cooked, they were full of gruesom evidence of the horrible crimes committed here. One building had some of the hair cut off the prisoners, to be sold in 10 kilo bags - used to make cloth. Another had a display of a mountain of luggage, eye glasses, combs, brushes, toothbrushes, clothes, etc. Shelby was visiable shook by it all. Devin had studied it last year, so he was more prepared, but still impressed (not in a good way). Spencer couldn't grasp it all... He understood that the Nazi's took all the possessions of the people, kept them in the camp, and killed many of them. But, that information is disturbing enough, then to have to realize that it was people of all ages ... He saw one display of childrens and infant clothes and asked me why "the people" (Nazis) would want baby clothes. I told him that everyone had their things taken from them, even the children. He turned and said, "you can't bring your children here!" I think that is when it sunk in a little more for him - he pretty much stopped reading signs and looking at the photos after that.
One of the gaurd gates surrounding the grounds ...
"Work sets you free" sign as you enter the camp ...
This is a veiw on our way out of the camp. ..
One of (many) disturbing things was the layout of the buildings ... It reminded me of visiting colonial museums in the states. But, instead of seeing the charming way the first settlers of America lived and cooked, they were full of gruesom evidence of the horrible crimes committed here. One building had some of the hair cut off the prisoners, to be sold in 10 kilo bags - used to make cloth. Another had a display of a mountain of luggage, eye glasses, combs, brushes, toothbrushes, clothes, etc. Shelby was visiable shook by it all. Devin had studied it last year, so he was more prepared, but still impressed (not in a good way). Spencer couldn't grasp it all... He understood that the Nazi's took all the possessions of the people, kept them in the camp, and killed many of them. But, that information is disturbing enough, then to have to realize that it was people of all ages ... He saw one display of childrens and infant clothes and asked me why "the people" (Nazis) would want baby clothes. I told him that everyone had their things taken from them, even the children. He turned and said, "you can't bring your children here!" I think that is when it sunk in a little more for him - he pretty much stopped reading signs and looking at the photos after that.
One of the gaurd gates surrounding the grounds ...
"Work sets you free" sign as you enter the camp ...
