Infamy in History

By Jessica Kieleszewski

Auschwitz marks a cold place in Polish history. On arrival in Auschwitz, your experience should be greeted by the perfect day. One that's dim and on the verge of rain, which casts the buildings of Auschwitz One in grey. This is about the time when you realize that sunshine has no place here. On your stroll through Auschwitz One, which was crafted into a museum, you’re greeted by the infamous phrase, “Arbeit Macht Frei.” Translated from German it means “Work makes you free,” or “Work sets you free.” Prisoners of Auschwitz passed under this gate twice every day.

Visiting the buildings of the museum complex, you come across a hall littered with faces of prisoners with arrival and death dates. Many lived days, many lived months… but few lived years. This is where it all becomes blatantly clear that these were individual people, not just statistics. Later, once the influx of Jews to Auschwitz grew, the Nazi’s abandoned the association by picture and number, and the infamous Auschwitz style numerical tattoo came into being.

Once you reach Auschwitz Two, dubbed Auschwitz-Birkenau, you step into the crossing, where trains arrived and the doctor would make a quick decision of who was able to work, and who should be sent to the gas chamber immediately. Families were separated, and mothers with small children were sent as a pair or group to die. This, the Nazis figured, was for the best. Eventually when entering the buildings still standing in this part of the complex, you see the conditions in which the condemned had to attempt to survive. There was never time or space for a prisoner to wash, the bathroom was only allowed twice a day, and sleeping conditions were cramped uncomfortable. It’s in one of the bunkers that you come across another phrase, “Verhalte Dich Ruhig,” which roughly translates to “Remain quiet.” You eventually come to “the end of the line” at Auschwitz-Birkenau. The place where the tracks for the train end, but no train ever went. A place where new arrivals were lead to the showers, convinced they were safe, and slowly murdered by a tainted blue fiend.