Kraków, Poland

Constitution Day, flags fly, they are very proud of this being the 2nd nation to write a constitution to be celebrated on 3rd May every year.

Being a freedom day we of course chose to visit the most deadly concentration camp, being responsible for the deaths of one and a half million people, mostly Jews who travelled up to 10 days non-stop from around Europe to meet their fate in gas chambers. They were made to pay some of them for the journey.

Up to 100 were packed into railway carriage standing room only, no toilet,no food and no water and hardly any air, sometimes travelling up to 10 days.

This is the picture of the last piece of the remaining wall from the ghetto. It was made to look like Tombstone signifying the only way out was death via Auschwitz.

After the ghetto was emptied the furniture was taken out into the square where the roll calls were normally held. The furniture was then pulled apart to make sure there were no hidden stashes of gold or valuables in the frames. These chairs are a memorial.

Some survived , there was a list you could get on and work at the Schindler factory. Because of Oskar Schindler and his factory, 1500 people lived.

Most were not so lucky, and by walking through these gates sealed their fate
This is the view that awaited them

Or this, Birkenau and its size and its 4 gas ovens were responsible their extermination. we were amazed at the size of the complex, and the whole thing was designed destroy people, mind and body, every day a living hell.

Everyone was feeling a little off, so it was back into town, for an evening in Kraków. We were left behind by the youngsters  who shot away to the bars etc. Could be an age thing, so we had a beer, kebab,and strolled the street to people watch and finish in a lovely ice-cream shop.

There is the other side of a visit to Krakow but the emotional drain of the visit to the death camps had to be mentioned so no one is ever subjected to such cruelty.