Always Remember. Kelly McGovern

March 20, 2014

Today I went back to Auschwitz 1. I was a little nervous as I walked up because I was expecting to become flooded with emotion like the first time. For some reason, I saw it in another way. Sorrow and anger were still emotions that filled me. When I walked through the gate all I wanted to do was walk the dirt paths within the camp. All of the information that I learned about Auschwitz 1 was jumping around my head. 

Auschwitz 1 

Walking through the camp I came across a block, which I had not seen during my tour. Each country that was involved in World War II has a block, which contains information about their struggle during the war. I went into the Polish block today. It was heart breaking, and fascinating. I feel that people forget how greatly Poland was affected. Non-Jewish Poles were one of the first groups of people to become imprisoned in Auschwitz. People’s homes were destroyed, ghettos were put into effect, and strict laws were enforced. Warsaw contained one of the largest ghettos in Poland and the main idea according to the Nazi’s was to completely wipe out Poles.

Seeing what Hitler said about wanting to wipe out the Poles with no pity is disgusting. Knowing hundreds of people heard Hitler say that and did not think to do anything or think it was wrong is horrible. People were hung, shot, and starved to death simply because of where they grew up. You are supposed to feel safe in your home and town. This comfort was taken away from these innocent people in the blink of an eye. During World War II, about 3,577,000 Polish citizens entered the death camps located in the Third Reich, Poland and the USSR. 1,500,000 were ethnic Poles. 

"The destruction of Poland is of the utmost importance..Danzig is not the object in question. The object is the expansion of Lebensraum for Germans in the east. There can be no question of sparing Poland, and that is why we stand on our decision to attack Poland at the first opportunity. -Adolf Hitler" 

"On September 17,1939, the Red Army crossed the Polish border, implementing an agreement concluded earlier with Germany on dividing the Polish state." 

"I am keeping ready..my death's head units, to kill men women and children of Polish birth and Polish tongue, without pity or mercy. Poland will be depopulated and Germans will settle there." -Adolf Hitler 

Block 11 at Auschwitz 1 is called the punishment block. Those who were thought to be breaking any rule were sent here. In the basement, there were cells, which were called the starvation cells, or the standing cell. This was hell. Looking into the starvation cells, you could see marks on the wall. In one particular cell there was a cross, and about 15 vertical dash lines in 3 rows. These were marks made by the prisoners who had to endure this awful prison. To me, the cross symbolizes some sort of hope, which I am sure was an extremely difficult feeling to have. The dash lines could have been some sort of a calendar. The markings on the walls show that those who were sent to these cells were kept there for a long time. 

After re-visiting Auschwitz 1, we went to an art exhibition. The artist is Professor Marian Kołodziej. Professor Kołodziej was on the first transport to Auschwitz. He was known as number 432. The art exhibition contained drawings that Professor Kołodziej drew. It took him 15 years to complete his work. Professor Kołodziej never talked about his experience at Auschwitz, until he had a stroke. He used drawing as a type of therapy to help him heal. All of the pictures that Professor Kołodziej drew were extremely ghostly. The way he interpreted the prisoners in Auschwitz showed them as walking skeletons. There was one picture, which really touched me. 

Taking the mask off from Auschwitz 

The picture featured below, shows the faces of prisoners and how weak and deathly they became. At the bottom of the picture there are a few gravestones shaded in black with numbers of different prisoners. This picture was extremely upsetting to look at. The detail that Professor Kołodziej put into the eyes of the prisoners he decided to draw was exceptional. Capturing the fear, despair and sadness of people who experienced something unimaginable can only be done by someone who experienced that fear and sadness themselves. 

A drawing of prisoners in the camp

Professor Kołodziej passed away in 2009. His ashes are in an urn, which is behind a plaque within the exhibit. Professor Kołodziej was a brilliant artist who endured so much pain and suffering. He will forever leave behind a legacy.

"Always remember" 

My trip to Poland is almost over. I can honestly say I have learned so much, and intended to learn more about the Shoah after my trip. 

Kelly McGovern