Question about Auschwitz
 

I will be stopping by Auschwitz/Birkenau later this spring. I am unsure of how long to allow myself for visits to the concentration camps etc. My thinking is that probably 1 day between the 2 camps is enough.

Has anyone ever been there? Is that reasonable? Obviously I don't want to hang around for the sake of hanging around, but I also want to allow myself enough time to experience the place.

Merci,
MapleLeaf

It takes about an hour to drive there, as I recall, and they are very close to each other. Hire a private driver from your hotel for the trip. One day is sufficient. If you start out from Krakow at 0800, you should be back at 1400. That was my experience. I definitely think you should go as you are there and the site's importance in recent history. I must admit, I think the experience at the Holocaust museum in Washington, DC is a more moving experience.

GRF

Thank you grf1953

The whole point of my sidetrip to Krakow is to go to Auschwitz... for some reason I have a compelling need to go and experience what I consider one of the most evil places on earth. I have been to the Holocaust Museum in DC as well, I guess I will know after which one speaks to me more.

Merci

I agree, one day should suffice for both, unless you really want to spend time to "soak in" the gravity of the evil there. I certainly was left speechless and in tears at the palpable feeling of human suffering. It's astounding to think that people could treat their fellow man in any manner remotely resembling the horrors at these camps.

Just as compelling, if not more so, than the Holocaust Museum in Washington is the Jewish Museum in Berlin. I have no idea of your itinerary for your upcoming trip, but I encourage you to go some day.

More important than the amount of time you spend there, I think, is the depth of your experience. For that reason, I'd strongly recommend joining a group with a guide. You can reserve a space on an English-speaking guided tour on the website.

There are many guided tours leaving from Krakow, but they vary in quality. But if you join one of the groups led by the on-site guides, I'm sure your experience will be as meaningful as it was for me.

I was planning on getting a guide to take me through the camps. That being said I did want to wander on my own after as well, just digest, contemplate.

Now here is the million dollar question. Right now my itin is to go to Krakow enroute to other places (an addition 18 days of travel). With a bit of spinning I can go to Krakow on the end of my trip and then come home from there direct. Given the solemn nature of what it is, what it stands for etc., is it better to save the visit until the end?

I did a trip to Poland and Israel two years ago and yes, while the visit is one of the most powerful experiences i have ever had in my life, there is something beneficial, for me at least, to continue on and take your emotions from the Camps and put them to something positive. As moving as the experience will be, it is also important to see how Europe is changing (or not changing depending on how you look at it) and while your visit will always stay with you, it might be good to continue on and use that emotion in the rest of your trip, and your life. Just my opinion, others might disagree, and it will also depend on your connection to the place. But certainly give enough time to digest it all before moving on.

Well my trip from Auschwitz is actually taking me to Shanghai, Beijing and Tokyo (yeah I am going the long way around... what can I say, I am a true FT'r).

As for my personal connection. I am in Ministry. It is my belief that in order to experience and appreciate all that is good in this world, we also need to experience all that is evil. Honestly I can think of no more evil place than these concentration camps.

(btw just so you don't think I am morbid, I have been to Israel and next year will go to Macchu Pachu)

I've been to Auschwitz & Birkenau twice, once with a friend when backpacking the continent and again w/my wife when we backpacked through the region....

The first time there we got there by taking a bus from Krakow's main bus station - not a tourist bus, just a local only bus to Oscwencim (the Polish name of the town).

The second time I believe we found that the local bus times didn't work for us, so we took the train from Krakow Glowny station to Oscwencim. From there, we took a local bus to the main entrance to the camp - Auschwitz.

I'd personally advocate, based on that, just taking local transport to get there, why pay more for a "tourist" service, when you can get there like the locals would.......

As far as the amount of time you need - I think we went in the morning around 9am and returned by 4-5pm. The "main" camp - Auschwitz I - has the museums, videos, and some guides who might walk you around and give some true gravity to the place.

Then you want to catch the bus to Birkenau, or walk the 1-2 miles to that camp. The moment you arrive you'll know you're in a sad sad place. I can't explain it, but the camp enterance there, and the whole place feels like no where I've been. I just spent 2-3 hours walking around the vastness of the grounds and absorbing the feeling. I still vividly remember listening to an old Jewish man who was back with his grandsons telling them how HE was unloaded from the train cars and explaining the place to them. I can't even imagine how hard it must have been for a man like this to return to a place of such sorrow.

One thing that struck me was that there are new homes being built overlooking the Birekanu camp. Can you imagine that?

But I'm rambling. Just be sure to go. While not pleasant, it's one of those experiences that will stay with you.

-A

Portions of the post that previously appeared in this space have been deleted. I would provide you with a reason why, but doing so would likely be against the TOS.

Just to clarify, the correct spelling of the town name is Oswiecim. You'll probably need the correct spelling if you research train schedules, etc.

If you arrive in Oswiecim by train, it's only about 20-30 PLN to go to Museum Auschwitz by taxi. Also, you can take a taxi from Auschwitz to Birkenau, and usually the taxi will wait outside so that after you're done with Birkenau, they'll take you to the train station or wherever. Handy if you're pressed for time.

If you are not going back to Krakow afterwards, Katowice is about an hour away and a good point to catch a train, especially onward to Warsaw, Budapest, Vienna, or Prague.

Oswiecim is an important site. However, 1 day is enough. Hiring a driver and car from your hotel, and joining a tour at the camps, is the best way to see the site. Oswiecim is one of six former "Vernichtungslagen" in Poland. It is mostly in ruins, because it (like four others) was dynamited by the Nazis as the Soviets advanced. Only one of the Vernichtungslagen (in Eastern Poland) escaped Nazi destruction because the Soviets overran that camp before it could be blown up.

The salt mines are also really worth a visit! They are like the underground dwarven city in Lord of the Rings.

If you are staying in Krakow, there really isn't a need for a car and driver. Just take the local train from the main train station to Oswencim. Should take about 30-40 mins to get there. Once you there, you can take the shuttle bus (it's either free or very cheap, can't remember) or a taxi.

1 day is enough to see both camps (and you won't forget them for years) .

Salt Mines are a must-see as well.

There is a GREAT guide for Krakow and surrounding area at http://www.inyourpocket.com/poland/krakow/en/ . You can also buy a more detailed, printed version in the Krakow train station.

I don't know if "stopping by" is the right approach, but when I went to Dachau we were on site for a little less than four hours, so I think a full day would be enough. Do not expect to find any joy at all in anything on your vacation (or for that matter your life) for at least 36 hours after you leave. Fortunately, we were on a 38-day trip, and we were able to go decompress in Vienna for a day and just stare at each other.

As terrible as it is, a former concentration camp is something which everybody should experience once. It basically takes up three days of emotional and logistical time, so doing it on a vacation of less than 10 days is just insane. Mental preparation is incredibly important, or you'll just get blown away.