2022
On January 27, 1945, the Soviet army entered Auschwitz and liberated more than 7,000 remaining prisoners. On November 1, 2005 the United Nations designated January 27 as the "International Holocaust Remembrance Day". A day for remembering one of the most horrible pages of our history.
Not the only one.
It is difficult to write about Auschwitz. This seems to be so far away from the spirit of our community, where we enjoy, “equal in diversity”, the exchange of ideas and opinions, without any barrier of language, religion, ethnic origin.
My last visit to the exterminations camp of Auschwitz and Birkenau was on September 21st, 2018, during the European Meet-up ‘18.
It was my second visit. During the first one, several years ago, I wasn't able to take photos. My mind literally refused what was around me: “Extermination camp” is a word, a concept, that the human mind cannot understand.
This time I forced myself to take a few photos, and I want to share some of them with you. Please do not imagine this post as a Recap of the visit, nor a photowalk to show how this place is. This is a post for remembering
What I want to give you is just some spark, a few flashes, something to think about. What I can suggest, to every person, is to spend a few hours, visiting one of this places, not necessarily Auschwitz, silently.
Birkenau - We reached Birkenau at sunset, and when we explored it it was dark, the night coming quickly.
A beautiful sunset, I can say, but I'm not sure that the deportees could appreciate it
I don’t want, I dont need, to add unnecessary words, the post written by @AntonellaGr - Block 25 Birkenau - is already full of meanings.
Auschwitz - Auschwitz was in the afternoon. The entrance is free, but you have to make a reservation well in advance, if you plan a visit in there.
Numbers
Numbers and blocks.
Numbers tattooed on the arms of the prisoners.
Numbers to divide into blocks the camp. Barbed wire
No names, just numbers, to be associated to a face. A number is easy. Behind a name there is a person. Behind a number, just an empty uniform.
“Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it”
A past that is not only Auschwitz - A time that is not so far away:
Ethnic wars - Racial wars - Religion wars - Or simply: Wars - Ancient wars - Recent wars - Or simply: Wars
I am writing this post today, to give time to everyone for sharing a thought, a feeling, an experience about this place, or other Memorial places around the world. Time for remembering, together.
If you don't want to write anything, if you don't feel comfortable in doing this, just post a flower, we will appreciate it.
A special thanks to @TorM, for organising the day
I want also to mention the Local Guides @NatalkaR, @JanVanHaver, @davide7O, @LudwigGermany, @helga19, @ikaramon, @barrazacarlos. Maybe they want to share a few words with us.
My last tag is for @FaridTDF. His post will help, everyone of us, to understand a bit more: 30,000 Reasons not to forget
Hola @ErmesT, estos post son tristes y me cuesta mucho poder escribir, ya que leer sobre la crueldad y deshumanizaron del hombre me duele en lo mas profundo de mi corazón. Pero de la misma manera que me produce consternación hablar, leer o ir a estos lugares, se que es muy necesario su recordatorio. En la magistral frase que traes a cuento en tu post enmarca mucho de lo que es "Los que no recuerdan el pasado están condenados a repetirlo".
En Argentina lamentablemente tuvimos una cruel matanza y desaparición de 30.000 personas durante la dictadura militar de los años '70 en el marco del plan Cóndor para Latino América, no quiero detenerme en esto ya que como dije en algunas ocasiones cualquier guerra, cualquier privación de la libertad en forma ilegitima, cualquier muerte, no importa en nombre de que lo realicen, esta mal, considero que no existe justificación alguna para nada de esto.
Por supuesto no puedo ser inocente al pensar que esto de la noche a la mañana no ocurrirá mas, o que por solo expresarlo y decirlo aquí no ocurrirá, la verdad es que nada ocurre si nosotros no hacemos que ocurra. Los campos de concentración Nazis fueron el dejar hacer, el mirar al costado, el pensar que eso ocurre muy lejos, eso no nos llegara, 6 millones de seres humanos muertos en esos campos de concentración Nazis, no piensan lo mismo, tampoco piensan igual los 7 millones de muertos de la Rusia Stalinista o los 70 millones de muertos en la larga marcha en China, y tantos otros lugares.
De nuevo, ninguna muerte es mas muerte que otra muerte, todas las muertes de este tipo no tienen justificación. Tenemos que recordarlas con respeto, dolor y tristeza por que ocurrió.
Y llegando al presente parece que muchos no leyeron, o miraron sobre lo que ocurrió en el pasado. Al contemplar como muchos sitios calientes en Oriente medio, están en guerra, el contemplar esas crueldades en el siglo que estamos, donde en principio nos jactamos de ser civilizados, mmm parece que no. Leamos el post que nos trae Ermes, reflexionemos como nos sentimos con el presente que tenemos en algunos lugares del mundo.
Como sea, disculpen quizás me estoy explayando sobre un tema sobre el cual realmente no me gusta hablar, ya que trae a mi mente lo mas feo del ser humano, la crueldad sistemática asía sus semejantes humanos.
Es un día de luto, honremos a esas victimas.
Farid.
Dear @ErmesT
Thank you for this post. It was good to visit Auschwitz together with so many other Local Guides from different nations. Really great that we could do this 2018.
It is really important to remember.
As you know I'm always interested in such posts. We need them to learn for now and the future .
Thank you for sharing this @ErmesT. I visited Dachau in October, not one of the big ones, but the first of the worst ones.
Even though for some visiting one is enough, as it is a sad experience, I do wish to visit Auschwitz someday, silently as you say, as I learnt a lot of things about in my life.
