# Auschwitz 70 years on



## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

We went to visit Auschwitz during our long trip a very moving experience.. One thing I found not very pleasant as I walked around was the number of folk taking photographs, I found I'd disrespectful..

I only took one photo and that was the entrance sign... that said everything..


Ray.


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

A new slant on come around and see our holiday snaps. I agree with you, show some respect and why would you want a load of images of such a horrible place. We visited Bergen Belsen on the way home from Denmark to Berlin years ago and were so overwhelmed by the history of the place that I did not bother taking any photos, I bought a postcard. Just think, years later showing the children photos of when they were young, and here you all are at Belsen.

Maybe they should do what the Chinese do in the Terracotta warriors sites, no photography.

Dave


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## Cazzie (Feb 13, 2009)

I felt the same when we went to Oradour sur Glane last year. It just felt so disrespectful to be taking photos. Bought a guide book instead.
However, we took lots of photos of the Terracotta Warriors a few years ago. It wasn't banned then. The only time we were banned from taking photos was of the soldiers in Tianamen Square.

Cazzie


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

It surely depends on the reason you are taking the photographs.

Maybe to show/educate school children on we must not forget what happened.

Paul.


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

I have posted this before but I think it bears repeating today on the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of the prisoners of the Nazi Camp at Auschwitz (Oswiciem the local Polish town).

We live only a few kilometres away.

When I was young(9) I saw a book which my grandparents had, called 'Lest We Forget', which contained graphic photographs taken at various concentration camps upon their liberation. It showed rows of corpse and also the 'living dead' of skeletal prisoners.

This book was published in the aftermath of the war. I doubt whether any publisher, or even a Holocaust Museum would publish them today.

Having seen those photographs I learned enough and I have had no desire to visit Auschwitz. 

My partner Basia was a schoolteacher and it was part of her duty and part of the students' curriculum to be taken on a visit to Auschwitz. She did that for several years. Now she would never return.

I also doubt whether what is shown there now truly reflects the horrors. If it did I doubt whether anybody would visit.

Geoff and Basia


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## dovtrams (Aug 18, 2009)

Cazzie said:


> I felt the same when we went to Oradour sur Glane last year. It just felt so disrespectful to be taking photos. Bought a guide book instead.
> However, we took lots of photos of the Terracotta Warriors a few years ago. It wasn't banned then. The only time we were banned from taking photos was of the soldiers in Tianamen Square.
> 
> Cazzie


We were in Xian in 1993 and no photos, however I nearly saw the inside of a Chinese jail by talking to and trying to take a photo of the uniformed guys in TS.

All memories good and bad, Oradour is another horrible place. Mans inhumanity to man.

Dave


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Lest we forget........

These were unveiled in a suburb of Berlin, outside the last house that they occupied of their own free will, sadly they ended their days in Auschwitz.

These are my wife's grandparents on her father's side, he and his two sisters were fortunate to be sent out of Germany before the worst really became established......








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No further words are necessary.

Dave


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Indeed


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## Zozzer (Aug 13, 2006)

I don't have a problem with taking photo's at holocaust memorial sights. I am mindful that certain area's such as the insides of buildings are out of bounds and there are signposts indicating that.

I do however have a problem with people photographing where it is prohibited.


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## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I watched in horror, as an American family lined up for a happy snap in front of the entrance at Dacchau.

I took a few photo's but quietly and not whilst others were nearby. They are for my own personal reflection.

Lest we forget.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

I have just booked for Krakow and Auschwitz May next year.
A four night hotel and three tours £330.
We are driving in the car (polluting VW) as we wanted fully guided tours and someone else to think for us.

Ray.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

It is a place we have got to visit at a suitable time.... 

my youngest daughter went there with a sixth form visit and was very moved to say the least - the staff knew her history and why she would be potentially upset and a female colleague stayed with her throughout the visit - they just sat and thought as they saw the terrible things there - like the pile of hair thinking "my great grandparents' hair is probably amongst that"......

She took no pictures and did comment that lots of happy snappers were doing so - which seemed wrong to her (aged 17), but as she said afterwards; "if it makes them remember and talk about the place and what happened there in future and perhaps discuss it with even one other person then it is not in vain" - perhaps wisdom not akin to her age......

Youngsters often put the rest of us to shame IMO....

Dave


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

raynipper said:


> I have just booked for Krakow and Auschwitz May next year.
> A four night hotel and three tours £330.
> We are driving in the car (polluting VW) as we wanted fully guided tours and someone else to think for us.
> 
> Ray.


It's worth going to the "Salt Mine", which is only a few miles away, after you've been to cheer yourself up.

Some of those visiting school kids, that Geoff mentioned, were playing football on the road outside the entrance when we visited.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Yes Bill. Doing the Auschwitz, Salt Mine and Shcindlers tour all in. But it won't be in half term.!!!

Ray.


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## jo662 (Jul 27, 2010)

Cazzie said:


> I felt the same when we went to Oradour sur Glane last year. It just felt so disrespectful to be taking photos. Bought a guide book instead.
> However, we took lots of photos of the Terracotta Warriors a few years ago. It wasn't banned then. The only time we were banned from taking photos was of the soldiers in Tianamen Square.
> 
> Cazzie


When we went here there was a German family walking round and the two teenage boys were hanging on the car in the road and laughing and shouting in the buildings and the parants didnt say a word to them to show some respect.
Think they were utterly heartless.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

jo662 said:


> German....... two teenage boys ..... laughing and shouting in the buildings and the ....Think they were utterly heartless.


We went to a museum beside a lake in Berlin where the "final solution" was dreamed up and signed

Wannsee-Konference

There was a group of German teenagers going around and the comments and laughter they were making was TOTALLY inappropriate.....

so I had a go at them in English - having checked firstly that they did English at school......

one of their teachers came in, heard me telling them what I thought of them and thanked me profusely for having a go at the group. The teenagers were compelled to write letters of apology to us and to the Museum - he also said he would follow it through and ensure ot was put on their school records - which I asked them NOT to do if the group changed their approach for the rest of their trip...... he thanked me for my tolerance and explained to the group that because of what I had said they would NOT get a negative comment on their school record which could have stopped them applying to University....

That made them look VERY sheepish as they left to sit outside and write their letters under VERY close supervision we were given the letters to us as we left 2 hours later - all had been written (very well) in English as it was felt most appropriate.....

Typical teacher - I wouldn't have let it pass.....

Dave :serious:


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## HermanHymer (Dec 5, 2008)

I often find that parents go deaf when they give birth. I guess some lose their sensitivity too.

(From the Bretagne en route to Portsmouth.)


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

'Lest we forget'.
Seems we have. After watching the New Zealand v Namibia rugby match I was curious to see so many northern European type men in the Namibian team, so I delved a bit into the country's history.
Well that certainly opened a can of worms. The WW2 holocaust was not the first time the Germans had exterminated a whole race of people and less than 40 years previously. 
At the turn of the 19/20th centuries the Germans decided that Namibia would make a nice addition to their budding African empire and also help to accommodate their policy of Lebensraum.
Just search for Namibia on YouTube and be prepared to be shocked.


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

I read a book recently about the way Namibia had set up the Germans for their behaviour later - their atrocities there were not challenged by other world powers so it was "assumed" to be acceptable....

and the true background to the start of WW1 is much wider than just the assassination as any study shows - many more countries were involved....

and so the decline in civilisation was started.....

Dave


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Penquin said:


> and so the decline in civilisation was started.....
> Dave


And maybe watch this space where ISIS and the rise of the Muslim faith is concerned.

Ray.


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