Auschwitz

A popular, if disturbing, day trip, about a 40 minutes drive from Krakow, is the city of Osweicim, and site of Auschwitz-Birkenau (Polish version Brzezinka) Concentration Camp. The death camp was in operation between 1940 and 1945. Here 1.5 million Poles, most of them Jews, were killed by the Nazis, factory-style, in the gas chambers. Auschwitz is a UNESCO World Heritage site.http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/31http://isurvived.org/AUSCHWITZ_TheCamp.html

At the site of the concentration camp is the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp Museum. In blocks 4, 5, 6, 7, and 11 are displays of photographs, documents, furnishings, prisoner clothing and other items taken from the doomed inmates.

It is a chilling and intensely emotional experience walking through the barracks, viewing the mounds of human hair and teeth displayed in glass cases. It’s not to be effected by the experience: imagine the terror that the victims must have felt, and recon the volume of misery and degradation. Many of the tourists are completely overcome with grief.

Reserved groups and tours only: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 1 to October 31, 2010

Admission is free. Fees charged for for guides. Photography in doors is not permitted.

Visitors should behave with suitable respect and solemnness.

• 8 a.m. To 7 p.m. June through August
• 8 a.m. To 6 p.m. September
• 8 .a.m to 5 p.m. April and October
• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 1 to December 15
• Open 8 a.m. To 3 p.m. December 16 to February 29

Tours of Auschwitz from Krakow are conducted by a number of companies, including Auschwitz Tours (phone +48 79 88 67 906) and Poland Tours (0044 1484 663 889) both of which offer transport by passenger van, admission and guided tours (in English) of Auschwitz and Birkenau camps and museums. Length of tours is 3 to 4 hours. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/31