The Worst Camp

*FROM 11/15*
Today was extremely long (and just got longer). We woke up at 6 am, finished putting the final few things in our bag, had breakfast, and made our way to the bus. Once on the bus we had an hour bus ride to Auschwitz. We went to Auschwitz II (Birkenau) first. Below are some facts we learned:
-In 1944 there was a Sunder-commando revolt, in which they destroyed gas chamber/crematorium 4.
-In 1944 the Nazis built the train tracks all the way into the camp or more specifically all the way to the gas chambers.
-In one of the bathrooms “stay clam” was written on the wall in German. Making it so even the one moment a person should have to themselves was controlled by the Nazis.
-Auschwitz camps were the only ones that tattooed the number on people’s arms.
-The seen in Schindler’s list when the girls are sent to Auschwitz never happened (they were sent to a camp but not one like Auschwitz).
-it was really hard to see from end to end of the camp b/c it was so large.
-the real showers, hair cuts, and tattoos were performed in a building called the sauna.
-we heard the story of a man who was a barber and his cousin came in right before she was to be gassed and he had to decide if he was going to tell her what happened in the cambers. He decided against it b/c another barber had told his sister and was killed b/c everyone overheard and started to freak out.
-if you were bad in the barrack you were told to lay on the heater and were slapped by the capo.
-the gas chambers were underground so that the Nazis could easily drop in the gas.

After our class led tour of Birkenau we got on the bus and drove 2 km to Auschwitz 1. We had lunch in the parking lot and than had tours led by their tour guides. Here are details from the tour:
-I was not expecting to walk into the camp and have the barracks right there.
-the band played as workers left for and returned from work
- most of the barracks were brick buildings b/c they had been built prior to the war for the polish army.
-the camp was more like a museum and seemed kind of fake
-the Nazis made all the Jewish men ad Israel to their name and all the Jewish woman add Sara to their name.
-the biggest transport of Jews was from Hungary
- Jews had to pay for their train tickets to the camps b/c they were told they were going on vacation and the Germans sold their possessions basically making so they [the Jews] paid for their own death.
-we saw piles and piles of hair (2 tons worth which was 40000 people) that was used to make fabric for uniforms and to sell
-the name of the storage barracks was Canada b/c they thought Canada was a symbol for wealth.
-you never really imagine it being sunny at the camps but when were there it was and it made everything seem a little out of place
-each person was allowed to bring 25kg of luggage (one bag) and were told to write their name on it so it could eventually be sent back to them
-Jews were told they were allowed to live for 2 weeks, priests were allowed to live for 4 weeks, and everyone else was allowed to live for 3 months.
-until 1943 they photographed non-Jewish prisoners, but they stopped b/c there were too many people coming into the camp
-at one point the Russian’s number was tattooed on their chests, and in some rare occasions it was tattooed on ones bicep or leg
- only 600 kids were alive when the camp was liberated
-Dr. Mengele experimented on multiples to try and learn how to produce multiples to increase the Arian population
-there were 3 types of special jail cells: a dark cell, a standing cell, and a starvation cell
-There were 130 successful runaways
-The commandant, his wife, and 5 kids live 200 meters from the gas chamber

Then we went to a synagogue in Oświęcim and had our last t’fillah in Poland. Then we went to dinner and drove an hour to the airport. Once we got there we had 45 minutes until check in. I couldn’t leave Europe without having a Milka product so Yael and I bought Milka chocolate covered raisins (they were delicious). Then we went through the check-in process. B/c we were flying to Israel security was extremely thorough. First we had to open our bag that was being checked in front of security so that they would know there were no bombs in our bags (the security lady ruined my wonderful packing job), then we checked our bag and got our tickets. After that we went through regular security. The machine had a little bit of an issue and they made Yael empty here entire backpack but nothing was wrong! Then we went through passport control. The guy made a weird face at me b/c my picture is so terrible. Now we are sitting at the gate and our flight has been delayed by 2 hours, which means we will be back at Tzuba between 3 and 4 am!
Overall, this week was the past and worst part of EIE so far. It was sad and difficult at times (especially when we learned about death) but I love studying the Holocaust, which made it interesting and fun. It’s a shame that not everyone gets to have this experience. But I know I will never forget it.