Visiting Auschwitz: advice please?

Foosterino

I shall be visiting Auschwitz in April, I know it will be hard and harrowing. I visited Terezin (Terezienstadt) and found that unforgettable. Thank you for this tips

Foo
xx

MickKnipfler

I thought about going on a motorcycle trip....Colditz, then on to Auschwitz

Essexdelboy

Just to say that I started this thread a few months back and I finally made Krakow and Auschwitz on the weekend. In one word incomprehendible!

I stayed at a hostel in Krakow’s old town, very easy to get to and the staff was very friendly. I bought a tour ticket for Auschwitz for 60 zlotys (~£10) which included coach journey to and from Auschwitz and a 5 hour guided tour. It was amazing to say the least. I was quite well prepared as I had watched the excellent BBC documentary series.

I cannot recommend it enough, very sobering, but very worthwhile!

Deaf_Leopard

LizEstelle wrote:

DO remember that 'Auschwitz' does not now and never has existed. It is just a germanisation of the REAL, Polish place name, Oswiecim.

In their attempt to take over the world, the Nazis often engaged in this ridiculous ploy of giving foreign place names a germanic makeover.

The Poles have grown fatalistic and resigned to expecting this monotonous 'Auschwitz, Auschwitz, Auschwitz' from unthinking, visiting foreigners ... but you ought, at least, to be aware that this is Poland, not Germany. No German is spoken.

Interesting. I didn't realise Auschwitz had a native place name.

I detect a critical tone, however from the post for giving places alternate place names. Does the OP have quite the same fervour for not calling Munich Muenchen, Vienna Wien, Venice Venezia, Karlovy Vary Karlsbad, Copenhagen Kobenhavn etc etc. Would the OP criticise the french for calling London Londres, not to mention the many different names Vienna has in various foreign languages?

Giving places different names was not a nazi plot to take over the world. Like so many of their policies it wasn't even their idea. It is commonplace across the whole world to make people from different countries be able to pronounce often alien sounding place names.

Also it is wrong to suggest that no German is spoken in Poland. From 1848 to 1945 residents of present day Poland spoke German on a daily basis and some I am sure still do today. Many Poles will also speak German (although admittedly some very very reluctantly) as a second language should they need to.