Auschwitz short break

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Magic_x_uk

Soldato
Joined
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Derbyshire
Hi

My partner is a History lover as well as Teacher of this fine subject.

Thinking of taking her to Auschwitz for a short break at some point. She has always wished to visit.

wondered if anyone had been and the best ways of sorting out a short break over there. As i have no idea whatsoever.

Thank you
 
You aren't far from Katowice or Krakow depending how long you are going for. Krakow probably has more for the history types with the old town and the salt mines.

Been a few years since I last went to Krakow but back then hotels, food and travel were relatively inexpensive vs UK. Times have changed though so the value for money might not be as strong now.
 
Just go and stay in Karkow. They have loads of tours to Auschwitz, and Krakow is lovely.

I went just before COVID (I think). It's a weird experience. Quite understandably, they've taken away much of the character of the place and so, despite being a very emotional person, I found myself hardly reacting to it all. It was very interesting, though, and the more time you spend there the better.

Ironically, I think it was Trump or Pence was going to speak there later that day, yet they continue to support Israel. Wild.
 
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I've been to Auschwitz whilst on a short break in Krakow. We went in the height of summer and to imagine the suffering that went on there was quite emotional. Everyone reacts differently, but we did feel pretty down the following day, so my advice would be to plan your trip to the camps on your final day. Krakow itself though is amazing.
 
Feek said:
Not been there but I have been to Bergen-Belsen. I don't think I'd like to go to Auschwitz. I think @SexyGreyFox has been.
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Yes I have. it was brilliant with a Guide if brilliant is the right word to use.
However I always thought going in summer was a cop out, I tried to imagine what it was like during winter with no shoes, thin pyjamas, no food and having to walk 5 miles to a quarry for a full days work.
I wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes.
 
It's worth doing this as a guided tour from Krakow.
Quite harrowing but I would definitely recommend it.
I went in the winter, when it's even more desolate, which added to that feeling.

I wouldn't base yourself out of Katowice, it's a bit closer but it's an uninspiring, fairly unattractive and primarily industrial city, whereas Krakow is nice.
 
We had a guided tour from Krakow, think it was maybe an hour and a half on the minibus. Was during the winter so bit of snow / freezing conditions. Was a very surreal experience.
 
It’s strange how people feel funny going to Auschwitz, but are happy enough to go to places like the coliseum, where thousands of innocent people were chained up, tortured and fed alive to lions!
 
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robfosters said:
It’s strange how people feel funny going to Auschwitz, but are happy enough to go to places like the coliseum, where thousands of innocent people were chained up, tortured and fed alive to lions!
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They aren't really comparable, thousands vs millions*, ancient history vs still in living memory




* yes I'm aware they weren't all in Auschwitz, but as the most well known camp, it's become something of a symbol
 
robfosters said:
It’s strange how people feel funny going to Auschwitz, but are happy enough to go to places like the coliseum, where thousands of innocent people were chained up, tortured and fed alive to lions!
Click to expand...

It's easier to make an emotional disconnect to events from hundreds or thousands of years ago and compartmentalise them as 'how things used to be' in ancient history compared to seeing the remnants of systematic genocide that occurred recently enough that people who are still alive today were caught up in it.
 
I went at Easter and it was cold. Like -20 cold. Krakow is great.

Gdańsk is also really good, the European WW2 museum is there. It’s brilliant.

its an 8 hour train ride to krakow but both would make a brilliant multi city trip.
 
It's worth going. I actually ended welling up a few times. Go with a tour guide. If you go in the summer it's very very hot you can imagine how harrowing it was. The winter time is also painfully cold.

The salt mines were impressive too as someone else mentioned.
 
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