Auschwitz’s second camp, Birkenhau, doesn’t evoke the same reaction as the word ‘Auschwitz’ when you tell people you’ve been, but that’s only because fewer people know about this place – if more people did know, the word ’Birkenhau’ would certainly carry the same weight.
Located only 3 km away from campsite I, Birkenhau has been left relatively untouched, so trying to imagine the atrocities that took place is uncomfortably easy, especially when you’re granted permission to walk around the place freely and discover the horrific mistreatment of the Jews, Poles, gypsies and Russian POWs under the Nazi regime. A regime which exacted its power through terror, oppression, forced labour and death. Over a million people were executed in Birkenau alone and these photos I have taken try to encapsulate the feeling of the place.
Inside the prisoner barracks in Birkenau
Barbed wire symbolises the oppression and entrapment for those who entered the camp
This visit to Auschwitz and Birkenau was done via a trip to Krakow, for information on the captivating city of Krakow please see this earlier post.
Scarlett
July 26, 2012 at 5:00 pmYou can sense the sadness in the pictures! xx
admin
July 27, 2012 at 7:22 amHello! Yes, visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau is perhaps easier to convey through pictures than through words! Thank you for visiting my blog x