Oświęcim (German: Auschwitz) is a small town on the Soła River in
Poland, in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship in historic Upper Silesia. Most
people around the world know Oświęcim as the site of the largest German
concentration camp during the National Socialist era. That is why the
two memorial sites for the concentration camps Auschwitz I and
Auschwitz-Birkenau (Auschwitz II) are the city's greatest sights.
The twelve districts of Oświęcim lie on both sides of the Soła,
especially south of Oświęcim there are several ponds and lakes. The city
markets itself under the slogan "Miasto Pokoju", in English "The city of
peace". There has been no resident Jewish population in Oświęcim since
2000, a sad legacy from the Holocaust era.
Very few visitors know
that behind the loaded term "Auschwitz" is not only the former
concentration camp complex Auschwitz, but also a small town with 40,000
inhabitants that looks back on a history of more than 700 years. The
medieval name Auschwitz was first used after the annexation of Galicia
by the Danube monarchy during the partition of Poland in 1772. A third
name for the city, also emerging at this time, was "Osphitzin", derived
from the Yiddish term for guest. At that time, the city was known far
beyond the country's borders as the center of Jewish culture and
religion as "Oświęcimer Jerusalem". It seems all the more perfidious
that this place has gone down in history as a symbol of the genocide of
European Jews.
By plane
Katowice Airport
Katowice International Airport (IATA
code KTW, ICAO code EPKT, Polish Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy Katowice)
is the third busiest airport in Poland in terms of passengers and is
about 26 kilometers northwest of Oświęcim as the crow flies. There are
daily direct flights from Lufthansa to Frankfurt (Main) and Düsseldorf
and LOT Polish Airlines to Munich. Katowice is also served by Wizz Air,
which offers direct flights to Dortmund twice a day and several times a
week to Cologne-Bonn, Frankfurt-Hahn and Maastricht-Aachen.
Kraków-Balice Airport
John Paul II Kraków-Balice International
Airport (IATA code KRK, ICAO code EPKK, Polish Międzynarodowy Port
Lotniczy im. Jana Pawła II Kraków-Balice) is the second largest airport
in Poland and is about 42 kilometers east of Oświęcim as the crow flies.
Lufthansa offers daily direct flights to Germany.
By train
From Vienna you can take the EC102 and EC104 to Katowice, from where
regional lines continue, or take the night train D406 to Kraków in both
cases in less than six hours. The Oświęcim train station, on whose
forecourt numerous bus lines also stop, is to the west of the city
centre. However, if you arrive by train, you should not expect the same
standard as in Germany. Older railcars still run on many train lines,
and the Polish route network itself is also not in as good a condition
as the German one.
By bus
Regular buses from the state
operator run between the bus stations in Bieruń, Katowice and Kraków
PKSiS Oświęcim S.A. E-mail: pks_oswiecim@ka.home.pl. edit info
A
frequent shuttle bus service to Kraków runs directly from the Auschwitz
Museum, the cost of the return trip is PLN 28.00 + optional PLN 40.00
for a guided tour of the museum. The buses circulate less frequently to
the other two cities. The website also provides departure times for
local lines.
In the street
North of Oświęcim runs the
Autostrada A4 (A4), the longest Polish motorway at 670 kilometers. It
connects the German border with the Ukrainian border via Görlitz,
Wroclaw, Katowice and Kraków, some of which are subject to tolls. At
Görlitz, the Autostrada A4 merges directly into the Federal Motorway A4
(A4), just before the border the Autostrada A18 (A18) branches off,
which merges directly into the German Federal Motorway A15 (A15) south
of Forst (Lausitz).
From the direction of the Czech Republic
(Prague, Bratislava and Vienna), the best way to travel is via the Czech
Dálnice 1 (D1) and the Polish Autostrada A1 (A1) (border crossing at
Olsa).
The city center is easily accessible on foot. A bus network with a consistently reliable timetable connects the parts of the city, some older buses (often also high-floor) and some newer low-floor buses from the Polish manufacturer Solaris. In addition to the regular buses, private minibuses also stop at most bus stops, with which you can inexpensively reach the surrounding cities and towns. The departure times can be obtained from the reception of the respective accommodation, a copy of the timetable can be obtained directly from the bus driver on request. Alternatively, you can of course explore the city by taxi or by bike. For the latter there is a dedicated, albeit little-used, cycle path network.
In addition to a visit to the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration
camps, a visit to the Jewish center is also recommended. This houses an
exhibition about Jewish life before the Second World War. A detour to
the castle and the market square is also advisable. Various historical
epochs have been inscribed structurally on the main square Rynek Główny,
so the square essentially corresponds to its medieval layout. Visitors
from Germany and Austria might notice the arcade arches and mansard
windows at the square's northwest corner, which hint at plans by German
architect Stossberg to redesign "Auschwitz" as a model city for German
settlement in the East. In the middle of the square, a dark area marks
the location of a bunker that was demolished only a few years ago, was
partly used as a supermarket and had dominated the main square since
World War II. The most important building feature is the Old Town Hall,
also on the Market Square (Rynek Główny).
Museums
Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Wieźniów Oświęcimia 20. Tel.: +48 33
844 8099, fax: +48 33 843 2227. Memorial of the former concentration
camp complex. Read more Open: Mon-Sun: 08:00-15:00/19:00.
Jewish
Center Auschwitz, Pl. Ks. J. Skarbka 5. Tel.: +48 33 844 7002, fax: +48
33 472 0400, e-mail: info@ajcf.pl. The center includes the restored
synagogue of the Chevra Lomdei Myshnajot community (last surviving
synagogue in Oświęcim), an exhibition about Jewish life in the city
before World War II and an educational center. While the exhibition can
be visited without registration, the synagogue is only accessible after
registration using this form. Open: Mon-Sun: 09:00 - 17:00, Sat closed.
Price: Suggested donation of 6 PLN.
Castle Museum, ul. Zamkowa 1.
Tel.: +33 842 44 27, e-mail: muzeum@muzeum-zamek.pl. Open: Mon-Thurs:
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Fri: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., Sat: closed. Sun:
11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Saint Maximilian Center, Franciszkańska 12.
Tel.: +48 33 843-07-11, fax: +48 33 843 47 35, e-mail:
harmeze@franciszkanie.pl. The lower floors of the Franciscan monastery
house an exhibition of graphics by Marian Kołodziej, who processed his
experiences as a survivor of KL Auschwitz in infernal-sacral "Labyrinths
of Marian Kołodziej" based on Hieronymus Bosch.
Graveyards
Jewish Cemetery, Generała Jarosława Dąbrowies. The municipal cemetery
existed until the beginning of the Second World War and was deliberately
desecrated by the construction of Krakauer Straße (today Generała
Jarosława Dąbrowskiego) and the construction of two air-raid shelters
and a fire-fighting pond. The fenced area cannot be entered freely, but
a large "window" was cut out of the wall at the southern corner, through
which one can see the Kirkut.
If you are in the city for the holidays
of All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day on November 1st & 2nd, a nightly
visit to one of the two Catholic cemeteries is a must. These are
colorfully illuminated for the occasion by thousands upon thousands of
candles.
Cmentarz Parafialny, Generała Jarosława Dąbrowskiego. parish
cemetery.
Cmentarz Komunalny, Wiklinowa. Municipal cemetery.info edit
Culture & Cinemas
Oświęcimskie Centrum Kultury, Śniadeckiego 24.
Tel.: 33 842-25-75, e-mail: ock@ock.org.pl. In addition to the arthouse
cinema Nasze Kino, the municipal cultural center OCK regularly hosts
exhibitions, readings, festivals and the like.
Planet Cinema. Galeria
Niwa and plays major cinema productions.
In 1940, the German occupiers set up the concentration and
extermination camp Auschwitz I (main camp) near Oświęcim, to which
mainly Polish prisoners were initially deported. Later, the Auschwitz II
camp - better known under the name Birkenau - was added, as well as more
than 40 other satellite camps around the city of Oświęcim. After the
Wannsee Conference, the Auschwitz concentration camp became the largest
extermination camp in World War II, killing over a million people. The
largest group of those murdered were Hungarian (approx. 400,000) and
Polish Jews (approx. 350,000), as well as Jews from other European
countries (approx. 200,000), but also other groups such as non-Jewish
Poles (150,000), Sinti and Roma (approx. 25,000), Soviet prisoners of
war (approx. 20,000), Jehovah's Witnesses, priests, homosexuals etc.
were murdered here. The figures are based on estimates, as the majority
of Jewish prisoners were gassed without being registered.
The
Auschwitz concentration camp memorial is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Of the three large camps in the concentration camp complex, only the
main camp and Birkenau have survived. Monowitz has been turned back into
a village by the population and can also be visited. Just under 4 hours
should be planned for each of the two camps, which is feasible within
one day, but overwhelms many visitors.
The main camp should be
visited first, as its main exhibition and the national exhibitions, also
called country exhibitions, of various countries give a good overview of
the mechanisms behind the establishment of the concentration camp.
Afterwards, a visit to Birkenau is recommended.
In Birkenau there
is a small kiosk in the former gatehouse where books, brochures,
drinking water and the like can be purchased, and there is also a
vending machine. Besides the kiosk, only the exhibition in the "sauna"
offers protection from the elements. In the winter months, the perceived
temperature often drops far below zero, in summer the sun broods over
the plain. Good shoes, clothing appropriate to the season and sufficient
drinking water should therefore be brought along.
As a cemetery for millions of murdered people, the memorial
should be visited sensitively. The museum asks visitors to behave
quietly and respectfully.
Photography and filming is permitted
without artificial light or a tripod for private use. An exception
to this is the room with the inmates' hair in Block 4, as well as
the basement of Block 11 in the main camp and the crematoria. The
materials created must not damage the memory of the victims of the
concentration camp. Commercial interests must be declared using this
form.
Swimwear, smoking, eating, phoning, listening to the radio,
heavy luggage, dogs and bicycles are prohibited. Beware of
pickpockets, especially in the summer when thousands of tourists
visit the site every day. All rules at the memorial site are listed
on this page and also on several information boards on site.
In
order to overcome the language barriers in the concentration camp,
the prisoners had developed the camp language. This pidgin language
consisted of German, Yiddish and Polish building blocks. The
prisoners introduced their own sarcastic names for different areas
of the concentration camp. These terms are explained in the relevant
paragraphs and placed in quotation marks. In some cases, SS
designations have also been transferred into historical usage, for
example "gypsy camp" should not be understood as defamatory in this
context.
In some areas of the former camp, the villages of Plawy
and Brzezinka have grown very close to the memorial. The Monowitz
camp was immediately replaced by a village. This is a good way to
reflect on the difficult confrontation of the previously displaced
population with their historical heritage. In addition, the sapping
post-war years forced the population to use existing building
materials.
Concentration camp Auschwitz I (main camp)
Visitors to the main camp are best guided through the area in
groups. In this way, you automatically pass all the important
stations and can then still visit the so-called national exhibitions
in the individual blocks on your own. Possible stops on a visit to
the main camp, in addition to the crematoria and Block 11, can be:
work sets you free
The iron lettering work makes you free is
probably one of the most well-known motifs of the Auschwitz I
concentration camp (main camp). The upside-down letter B is
striking, which according to former Auschwitz prisoners represents a
secret protest by fellow prisoner Jan Liwacz. As an art locksmith,
he had to carry out several commissioned works for the SS, including
the world-famous lettering in 1940.
Black Wall / Wall of
Death
The Black Wall or Death Wall was a bullet trap made of
black insulating panels between Block 10 and Block 11 (camp prison),
in front of which a total of around 20,000 people were shot in the
neck between November 1941 and December 1943. Today, a faithful
replica of the Black Wall, as it was called in the camp language,
can be viewed, which is also a very important memorial.
national exhibitions
The national exhibitions have existed since
1960 and have been partially redesigned in recent years. At the
moment there are five national exhibitions of the nations of
Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
While the opening of the Austrian exhibition is planned for 2016,
the opening of the Russian exhibition is still uncertain. There is
also a separate exhibition of the Jewish victims and the Sinti and
Roma.
Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp
Depending on
the time budget and physical condition, various routes are
recommended to visit the more important scenes in the huge area.
Both routes are signposted with white directional arrows on a black
background.
Short route (approx. 5km): main station /
quarantine camp / ramp / women's camp / crematorium 2 & 3 / memorial
/ "Canada" & "Sauna" / crematorium 4 & 5 / "Mexico"
Long route
(approx. 8km): Jewish ramp / Hauptwache / Block 1 / Ramp / Women's
camp / Crematorium 2 & 3 / "Canada" & "Sauna" / Crematorium 4 & 5 /
White House / Mass grave for Russian prisoners of war / Red House /
"Mexico" or Commandership
Some of the particularly important
stations of the Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp are
described in more detail below:
Central sauna
The central sauna, also known as the central sauna
or new sauna (officially BW 32) served as a "disinfestation and
disinfection facility" when the people deported to Auschwitz were
admitted. It is the largest building in the concentration camp, in which
the new prisoners were showered, shaved and registered, among other
things. They also received the prisoner number tattooed on their left
forearms, which is typical for Auschwitz.
Canada
The valuables
and belongings of all prisoners who were brought to Auschwitz-Birkenau
were stored and processed in the Canada personal effects storage
facility. The term Canada came into being in the camp language because
the prisoners associated the valuable looted property with the country
of Canada as a “symbol of wealth”. Later, a number of members of the SS
camp staff also called this place so. The work in Canada was a
comparably simple job for the prisoners.
gas chambers and
crematoria
As in the main camp (Auschwitz I), there were also
facilities in Auschwitz II-Birkenau for the targeted killing of
prisoners. There were crematoria II, III, IV and V, as well as bunkers I
and II. Later, the bodies of the inmates were also cremated in the open
air when the available capacity for cremation was no longer sufficient.
For detailed information see, for example, the Wikipedia article Gas
Chambers and Crematoria of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
protective custody camp
The camp areas in the Auschwitz II-Birkenau
concentration camp were called in the camp jargon as follows: men's
camp, quarantine camp, women's camp, gypsy camp, Theresienstadt family
camp and Mexico. All together formed the barracks camp, which was about
five square kilometers in size, the individual areas were separated from
each other by a double electric fence made of barbed wire with five
meter high watchtowers at a distance of 150 meters.
Memorial in
the extermination camp
The large memorial was erected in 1967 on the
initiative of the International Auschwitz Committee between the ruins of
two crematoria. It bears the following inscription in several languages,
including German:
"Let this place always be an outcry of despair
and
admonition to mankind.
Here the Nazis murdered over a million
and a half men, women and children.
Most were Jews from different
countries in Europe.”