Tourists at Auschwitz

Discussion in 'The Holocaust' started by webbhead, Dec 9, 2004.

  1. webbhead

    webbhead Member

    I recently visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. I made a point of going alone, so I could absorb as much as possible about what I was seeing without distraction. To my chagrin, though, I found the camps--especially the main Auschwitz camp--crowded with bus tours and school groups many of whom were carrying on, chatting, laughing, goofing off (some kids especially) as if it were all just a big stroll around a theme park. Should there be limits and/or set times for such groups? Has anyone else had similar experiences while visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau or other H-C related sites?
     
  2. webbhead

    webbhead Member

    This post is probably in the wrong place. Suggest move to Extermination--Auschwitz
     
  3. angie999

    angie999 Very Senior Member

    I havn't had similar experiences relating to the Holocaust, as I havn't been. I have, though, seen something similar on visits to WWI and WWII locations in France and Belgium.

    I think it is very difficult for young people to act like older people, so there is a degree of inevitability. On balance, I think we have to tolerate it as they are the coming generation and need to know what happened.
     
  4. Wise1

    Wise1 There We Are Then

    I agree, we were all young once and cant in all honesty say we acted with the best intentions at all times despite the scenario.
     
  5. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    I would not take young kids to Auschwitz.

    My daughter is eight. She started asking me about Hitler killing people. I told her about the museum in New York on the subject. I told her she's not going there with me until she's 10.

    And then I'm only taking her, and maybe one friend...Vera or Chloe, who have the intelligence and sensitivity to understand what's going on. It might be easier if she has a friend to cry with.

    But she has to learn about her heritage. So far I've got her going on the British home front in WW2, and she's fascinated.

    How do you explain this butchery to a kid? How do you explain it to an adult? :(
     
  6. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I helped my youngest daughter with a project on Hitler in grade 6 and she was intrigued by a series she watched at the same time. They in most cases do not have a grasp of the horror's of war let alone the Holocaust.

    My two daughters find it difficult to visit their mothers grave at the cemetery, so places like the camps, even though there is no personal involvement would be impossible.

    As they grow up they will learn more about these horror's and appreciate why the free peoples of the world had to fight in WW2. The result of a continuing "Hitlers Europe" would have been too much to bear.
     
  7. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    In my case, Wallis and her pals are different...they're very bright, very sharp, and very interested in learning things, so I think they'd behave in Auschwitz.

    But I still would not inflict it on them until they were at least 12. It's tough to take at age 43.
     
  8. angie999

    angie999 Very Senior Member

    But I still would not inflict it on them until they were at least 12. It's tough to take at age 43.

    And if you plan to do the full visit, including Birkenau, in addition to the emotions involved it could be physically taxing for small children, as it is a big site.
     
  9. Marina

    Marina Senior Member

    [To my chagrin, though, I found the camps--especially the main Auschwitz camp--crowded with bus tours and school groups many of whom were carrying on, chatting, laughing, goofing off (some kids especially) as if it were all just a big stroll around a theme park. Should there be limits and/or set times for such groups? Has anyone else had similar experiences while visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau or other H-C related sites?[/quote]


    With the young, always a little patience! It may be that trips like these should be regarded as sowing seeds in their minds for future thought. They won't forget the place and it is probably true that the camp made more impression on them than would appear.
     
  10. Kiwiwriter

    Kiwiwriter Very Senior Member

    I recently visited Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland. I made a point of going alone, so I could absorb as much as possible about what I was seeing without distraction. To my chagrin, though, I found the camps--especially the main Auschwitz camp--crowded with bus tours and school groups many of whom were carrying on, chatting, laughing, goofing off (some kids especially) as if it were all just a big stroll around a theme park. Should there be limits and/or set times for such groups? Has anyone else had similar experiences while visiting Auschwitz-Birkenau or other H-C related sites?

    Kids are never going to take a field trip anywhere as being serious education. It's just a chance to get the heck out of the classroom for a while, not have to do quizzes, and generally goof off.

    I had to give tours of the US Antarctic Program's facilities in Christchurch, NZ, and the kids were most interested in my American candy machine, not the Antarctic clothing or volcanic rocks I displayed. One group that came through, 14-16-year-olds from the North Island, was very disrespectful...they trashed the men's room.

    We were successful at last year's Holocaust event when we showed videos of the concentration camps and slides of Darfur, with drawings kids did of Sudanese militiamen shooting people and burning homes.
     
  11. Scott Henderson

    Scott Henderson Junior Member

    Hi All.
    My wife and i went to Auschwitz and Birkenau in January this year, staying in Krakow for the duration if our visit to Poland.
    It could be that we picked the right day to visit [Thursday] or it could have been something to do with the weather [-15 degrees] but it was almost deserted.
    Auschwitz had some guided tours taking place but we decided to go on our own & take things at our own pace. Birkenau was something completely different, for most of the time that we were there it appeared that we were the only people visiting [quite a spooky feeling] and the only sound was of the snow crunching under our feet [the snow was between 18-24 inches thick at some points].

    The point that i am trying to make for future visitors reading this post is to perhaps go out of season and go midweek when the visitor numbers appear to be less.

    Regards.
    Scott.
     
  12. Wise1

    Wise1 There We Are Then

    Agreed, I would always recomend you do your research when visiting Poland to make sure there are fewer people there.

    Its an amazing place to go to but you will appreciate the experience more when its quiet.
     

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