Poland Israel Journey '18

Wednesday, May 9th - Wednesday, May 16th 2018

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Blog on Auschwitz - Eve Levy

Here are some of my thoughts from my recent visit to Auschwitz. 

 

No words can fully express the horrors we saw with our eyes. You can read countless books on the topic, watch videos and even live footage, see pictures,  visit museums on the horrors of the Holocaust but all of that does not come close to being there and seeing with your own eyes. At many points I felt like my heart just could not take it any more. It is unimaginable. Unfathomable. 

 

I have always believed in the goodness of mankind. It rocked my world to learn what terrible evil man can choose. I am shaken to my core. 

 

Dreams dashed. Confusion all around. Dogs barking. Children crying. Fear.

 

Families ripped apart forever with the flick of a finger, right or left deciding their fate.

 

Lies told to you. "Put your luggage down nicely over there...fold your clothes neatly... hot drinks will be waiting for you when you come out from your shower so hurry up so it won't be cold." In desperation we believed them. We wanted so badly to believe them. After days on the transports, in the cramped cattle cars, we were desperate for something to eat or drink. We desperately needed to cling to some ray of hope. Even though deep down we knew...

 

"Make sure to tie your shoes well together." 

 

"Clean is good", the signs read. 

 

We marched. We obliged. We followed them blindly to our deaths. 

 

Music played. 

 

"Arbet Macht Frei", work will set you free. 

 

Lies.

 

Humiliated as we stood naked...huddled together. Men, women, and children. 

 

In the cold, In the snow, In the heat....without mercy. 

 

Thieves! All belongings were taken away, family heirlooms, even a photograph could not remain. Nothing left. Nothing.

 

Suitcases carefully marked with family names, confiscated forever.

 

Kitchen vessels brought in the hope of feeding a family member. Jewish Mothers wanting to feed their families with every last bit of strength that they had.

 

A room full of hair, curly, straight, brown or blond. Little braids with bows. 

 

Shoes. Shoes and shoes. Some high healed, some flat, some for dancing, some more sensible shoes. Sandals, boots, even tap shoes....Every size and every color imaginable. Each one as unique as the person who wore them. If only the shoes could talk! What story would they tell us? Who wore them. What made their feet dance? What made their heart sing?

 

Shoes meant life. Those lucky enough to work in the camps were given a pair of clogs, usually mismatched in size to make it as uncomfortable as possible for the prisoner. Inmates would sleep with their shoes under their heads. Clinging to them at all costs. Without shoes you were good as dead.

 

Piles and piles of shaving brushes, hairbrushes, toothbrushes...brought in the desperate hope of  trying to hold on to their personal hygiene. To their dignity. To their humanity. 

 

Constant smoke, the stench of burning flesh, enough to make you ill, 24/7, the fires of destruction raged without stop.

 

Intelligence used for evil, as they built machinery to wipe off a people. To make the world "Yuden Rien", Jew free.

 

Doctors using their medical expertise to do devastating 'experiments'. On twins, on pregnant women, on scared unfortunate Jews picked out randomly in selection line. Just for 'fun'. Sterilization. Killing people just to do autopsies. All in the name of research. All in the name of medicine and science. Monsters! 

 

Brilliant engineers built gas chambers to be most efficient. To do the job as fast as possible. Windows installed in the gas chambers to see from the outside when all movement had died down. Till everything was still and quiet within that room. No struggle left. To make it easy. Cowards!

 

It was nothing less then a nightmare. 

 

1.1 million Jews gassed to death in this place called Auschwitz- Berkenau.

 

The most evil place in the world.

 

And yet...a place of such holiness. A place where Jews died sanctifying G-d's name, Al kiddish Hashem. A place where Shma Yisroel were the last words uttered. A place where friendships blossomed, tremendous sacrifices happened, humanity shined. Jews managed to do acts of kindness in this place against all odds. The stories of faith are amazing. From the darkest place many Jews persevered. 

 

"In every generation they rise up to kill us, and Hashem saves us from their hands."

 

We are still here. The Jewish people are still going strong. 

 

Against all odds.

 

Am yisroel chai.