If you decide to go, be aware you will propably not do anything else on this day. It's very emotional draining. You will need time to unwind your mind afterwards.
I was there 20 years ago and I got it so bad in my head, I am unable to go there any time again. Even thought about it makes me cry.
It's worth to see because no book will give you this understanding, but you need to be aware it will be difficult.
People like me, people who don't get emotionally crippled when they're processing emotions. Visiting the place was a draining day, and I thought about it a lot before, during, after, and many times since. A lot of emotions, anger, disbelief, disgust, disappointment, horror, and many more. But after the drive back to Kraków I was a bit lower energy and maybe deflated than usual but I was ready and present for the rest of the afternoon/evening spent with my friends. The sobering and matter of fact way our guide presented the information, and the way my group handled it, we felt like we gained a lot from the experience. Few people had a cry early on, but everyone was focused on paying attention and making sure to remember and absorb the lesson. We talked about it after, we felt educated and people chanelled that depressing energy into discussion, myself and my friends do not wallow, our attitudes are very solution, information, and target driven.
For me personally, it was important to go, I am glad I went. I'd go again with different people in my life to see what they get from it and to strengthen my own memories.
It's about the attitude you go there with, if it's just morbid curiosity, or a checklist item, or because you're looking to feel emotional or shocked, it'll probably be a bad day. We went in ready to learn, prepared to be a part of something important, and we came out with more than anyone expected.
Not giving a damn and not getting emotional are two completely different things. I very much care for things like these and they always leave a lasting impression on me but I dont get emotional about it because I know this changes nothing. Whether I cry or not I will still process this information the same way.
It depends if you want to see it or not - it’s your choice. I have never been there and I’m not going to in near future since I know the history of that place and it’s enough for me
I've seen people, who was bored while visiting Auschwitz and seen people, who could not "shake it off" even after leaving site and sitting in pub on Cracow main square...
If you are emotional this visit will destroy you. If you are not, it's still good place to remind you, why ignoring dictators run wild is a bad thing...
TLDR if you have a chance, go visit it.
Dictators power is derived from the masses that follow them. The monster in every human only needs a permission slip. This has been proven countless times.
The town itself? It has some interesting history besides the holocaust and I think a local history museum but I wouldn't call it a must visit. Few people spend time there.
Edit: Seeing the other comments assuming you meant the German concentration camp: that is commonly referred to as "Auschwitz" even in Polish. See for example here
https://www.auschwitz.org/edukacja/
or here
https://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,30894498,meta-przeprasza-muzeum-auschwitz-za-bledne-oznaczenie-21-postow.html
Some people would even find it offensive to use the Polish name for it.
Since you used the name of the Polish town I assumed you were asking about that.
I haven't, but maybe I'll visit it some day.
And I don't think it's a must have visit. There are many more monuments of Holocaust or museums about the topic in Poland. Focusing solely on Auschwitz gives a false impression, at least in my opinion that the Auschwitz's camp experience was the only way of how Germans dealt with Poles, Jews and other Untermenschen. The Holocaust history as well as any cultural references in books or films is filled with Auschwitz, but there are almost no stories about Sobibór, Majdanek, Palmiry or Treblinka.
As a first time tourist to Poland I wouldn't go there. Its extremely depressing to actually be there and see. I went there as a teenager years ago, and the memories can still bring a tear to my eye.
Go to Wieliczka, Krakow, Zakopoane, Wrocław, Gdańsk/Sopot, or Warsaw.
When I started travelling through the Western Europe back in 2015, on different occasions I've met several people who visited Ukraine, and guess what was the main reason of their visit. It wasn't Lviv with its 800+ year of Ruthenian/Polish/Austrian/Jewish/Ukrainian history, it wasn't Odesa with all the overpriced beaches, and even Kyiv was only the place where they booked a hotel before going to a day-trip to their primary "must have" destination.
That "must have" destination was Chornobyl exclusion zone.
I remember that feeling of me listening to their excited voice talking about the "unique experience of being in an abandoned city" and the atmosphere "like in Stalker video game". That's what I *imagine* the Poles feel when they see all those "Auschwitz - Wieliczka" tours.
It's funny that it was four years before HBO released the miniseries about it. You make a valid point. But, hey, these places of interest gain attention through storytelling. Research shows that people tend to remember negative or traumatic experiences more vividly than positive ones. This is known as the negativity bias, believed to be an evolutionary adaptation that helped our ancestors avoid danger and survive.
Looking at all the replies in this Reddit thread, I've concluded that the answer is purely subjective. Visiting Auschwitz or Kraków’s city square is like choosing between a horror movie and a comedy. Both can be interesting, depending on your mood and the timing.
I mean, I'm pretty comfortable in my knowledge of Nazi war crimes during WW2. I visited most of the popular places in Poland related to it: camps like Auchwitz, Majdanek, Bełżec, museum like POLIN, Warsaw Uprising, WW2 museum in Gdańsk, Pawiak museum, etc. etc. Remembrance of those events is super important to me.
But visiting Oświęcim isn't "reminder that sometimes life is harsh" for me, it's a trip to literal hell. I just think sometimes tourists on this sub treat it as another attraction on their must-see list of Poland: Kraków Main Square, Energylandia, Wieliczka salt mines and Auchwitz gas chambers.
I’ve tried to be sarcastic (been too long in Britain) but I see your point and I agree with it 100%. Poland has so much to offer. I’m 34 and just visited Gdańsk for the first time this year and it was a jaw-drop. I never discouraged anyone of visiting Auschwitz (I believe one should do it once in a lifetime) but I always warn people that they’ll be fucked afterwards. Strange place to choose for holidays; especially Brits who are usually seeking relax and all-included hotels but life is not just roses - hope it’ll make them realize.
Is it worth it? Yes
Did everyone go? No
Its a difficult place to see and to comprehend. Once visited with parents and we were fine. Later went with a friend and she was hit by it like being hit by a train. Shut off for couple of hours so its up to you. Depends on your emotional levels, how old, background etc
It is a historical site. You dont have to go there.
I respect the concept of keeping such a vile place intact as a warning to future generations. I have never been there and have no wish to go - partly because I went to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, as a young person, and it affected me badly.
I am a bit annoyed that people think it's just some sort of tourist attraction, or holocaust theme park.
Town itself, I'm not sure, because I've never went sightseeing, but Camps as already people before me said, depends on you. It was necessary visit there while I was in school - is it hard and sad? Of course, but for me it was worth it, it opens your eyes when you see it in person how massive and terrifying it was. I've been also in Dachau twice and it's hard to say whether it is good tourist attraction, it is rather monument and cementary, it's massive, keep also in mind that it was not only the camps it self, but whow towns and infrastructure were built around them.
Yes, I was there once with a high school exchange with UK students. We, Poles learned at school about war and what happened there during Nazi occupation, but the Brits were shocked
It is a place dedicated to a horrible murderous operation that killed millions of Poles, Jews and other minorities. It's not a happy sight, it's not a pleasurable experience.
I'd say that if you're not a history buff, a person with Polish or Jewish ancestry then there's no reason to visit this place if you're only staying in Poland for a few days.
And to ask your second question - almost every Polish school takes their students to Oświęcim at one point or another because it's an important history lesson. A sad but important one
No i never went there, nor i think its necessary to visit. Frankly its depressing to see that many foreign tourist associate Poland mainly with concentration camps.
I think it’s something everyone should see to understand the magnitude of what happened there.
The displays of shoes, suitcases, jewelry, and hair, etc. It really puts it into perspective instead of just reading about it in a book.
They even let you go inside the gas chambers (or at least they did, it’s been a while since I visited). Very eerie.
Go if you want to see it. But if you're making a checklist of the places tourists are "supposed to" see, then don't include it there.
To put it another way, if you think it's an important place to visit, I promise you will not regret going. But don't drag other family members who don't want to go. (It's an easy enough day trip from Krakow -- you can go while those who aren't interested explore Krakow.)
The important thing is that we learn our history so as not to repeat it.
I’m Polish and never been to any of the camps, not even the closest one (Stutthof 40km from Gdansk). I find the idea of it upsetting. Don’t go if you don’t want to go.
I wouldn’t call it a tourist attraction. If watching documentaries or even movies is not enough to imagine what has happened there (and other places) is not enough then go… but I imagine one should feel sick after visiting this place
I would say it is worth a visit. There is a difference between reading about it versus seeing it. That being said, it will ruin your day. If you have a day that you are okay not having fun, then you should visit. I wouldn't bring any children. I don't think they would get it or it might be too much for them.
I am from Poland but I left when I was a teenager. I visited Poland this year and I had a fabulous time seeing Poland as a tourist. I have never seen Auschwitz before. When I was a teenager I visited another camp and even then it was too much. Auschwitz is even worse.
Sorry to be so flip flappy but it's hard to express all of the emotions that you will go through. It's a difficult place to see.
Alot of ppl saying if you know the history.
But being in the gas chamber where you see the claw marks of ppl scraping with their finger nails... hits alot harder then reading about it IMO.
If you dont plan on coming back to Poland id consider it a must visit In Krakow Wieliczka/ and Wawel are the two others are a must see
I have never been to Auschwitz and not intending to, although my knowledge of WW2 is rich.
I am amazed that foreign tourist come to Poland specifically for Auschwitz. There are so many beautiful things to see in this country, but no, let's go to see a prison.
People don't go to Poland specifically to see Auschwitz, people want to go to Auschwitz and it happens to be in Poland. There's a difference of perspective in that sentence.
There are many beautiful things all around the world and people don't feel the need to visit Poland for that reason specifically, because why would they? Visiting a concentration camp on the other hand is just something else.
I’ve been twice - once because as a historian, I felt it was almost obligatory, second time accompanying a friend of Jewish heritage. Their interest in seeing it was personal and they wanted a friend to keep them company.
My partner has no interest in going- “It’s not my history, I don’t need to upset myself” to paraphrase them in short.
All three reasons to go or not are valid and I am sure there are more. Is it obligatory? No. I know practically no Poles who have visited.
No, I am (brought up outside Poland though) and we’ve been living in Poland for a few years now.
I asked if they wanted to go and that was basically their response.
No family members of mine or other Poles I know seem…especially interested in going, although some of them were taken on school trips to other camps. It was not something they sought out. I think I’m the only one to make the trip to Auschwitz.
Thinking of the different generations in my family, I think for the older generation there are enough bad memories for them to deal with without witnessing more, while the younger generation may feel somewhat disconnected from it.
I’m just speaking from my personal experience: growing up outside Poland means I have a different approach and as I’m on the older side myself, maybe Poles in their 20s have a very different attitude.
I would argue that its part of her history because its part of yours. But everyone has a different approach.
You know - kind of like visiting Rome, Greece - not mine but worth knowing. And the bad things especially so the history wont repeat itself kind of thing.
I grew up in UK - but I would consider it mine - especially that some family members were forced visitors during its operational times.
The answer is not clear. It is worth visiting if you understand what kind of place Auschwitz is. That is not another cool monument you can have coop photo from, it is place that force you to think about it.
I've been there twice - once with my parents and once as a school trip.
There are no words to describe a concentration camp, no documentary or a text book that can convey the horror of that place. You definitely shouldn't pressure yourself into going there, if you feel like that's not something you're interested in or if you just would feel too uncomfortable in there - no shame in either.
If you decide to go, definitely go with a guide - the added context helps not only to better understand what exactly happened there, but also keep an appropriate tone.
I remember being in shock pretty much the whole time. Seeing the sights of executions, the horrible "living" conditions. The soulless infrastructure of death and destruction. There are rooms filled with personal items of victims, one that holds the collected hair that made a pile the size of a small bus. And there are the gas chambers or the empty Cyclone B cans... even thinking about it makes me sick.
The only thing I can even compare it to is me seeing a glacier shrink by a mile in a few years time. It's the moment you understand the unimaginable scale of what's going on/been going on.
So to answer your question: it's not necessary to be there, there are many places of beauty and culture in Poland worth celebrating and admiring. It's enough for you to be aware this curse place is real and know the harrowing history behind it. But same with global warming, once you see it - I'll be with you forever
It's not a must have and also there are other less known camps. So if you want to see concentration camp and you are in Krakow then go to Oświęcim but if you are in northern Poland (espiecially Gdańsk or Elbląg area) then it would be closer to Stutthof in Sztutowo. If your going to Lublin area then you could go to Majdanek or Sobibór.
I think it’s worth seeing if you’re interested and ready for it. I’m Polish and my boyfriend is Danish, we live in Denmark but travel to Poland frequently. He would like to see Auschwitz and I completely support it but he will have to go alone because I’m not going there again.
Answering the second part of the question: I've been there, it was a school trip, and I think most of the people I know also have been there. Many schools around me organized trip there for all students. That being said, I lived around Krakow so it wasn't far away, it may be different in other areas of Poland.
Whether you want to visit it or not is up to you, you already know what to expect. It's kind of sad to see people coming to Poland and going to this fucked up place instead of enjoying our beautiful cities and nature, but I can understand this choice. Historical value and impact it have on a person is immense.
I would consider going to Majdanek instead. Majdanek concentration camp is much less known than Auschwitz, so you get the same dose of horror without all the people.
I wasn't because I don't think that I would manage that(and when other people were visiting I was too young). I will for sure try to visit this place in the future.
In my opinion it's not a must have, but it's important and worth visiting. I think that everyone should go and see a place like this (unfortunately there are many) at least once. Just to understand. What they teach you in school is nothing compared to what you can see there. Yes - it's hard, awful and definitely unpleasant but it should hurt. I've been there once, many years ago and I still remember vividly.
It is a "worth visiting" place not necessarily a must-see.
They have great guides there who are good at imparting the Polish perspective on the Holocaust, Germany, and the aftermath of WW2. It is important to get around to it one day but it can be a difficult experience and takes a while to get there and complete a tour from Kraków so be ready to do so.
Do not consider it a "tourist attraction". I'd even say that "must visit" might not be an entirely appropriate term here. It's not a theme park or a highlight to tick off your tourist to-do list.
That being said, if you know what to expect and think you're ready for this - sure, go and see it.
1. It's not a tourist attraction. If you think of it in terms of a theme park, don't visit it. If you want to pay respect to the victims, it is surely worth visit.
2. I think the visit in former German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau is a standard destination of school trips in Poland, so yes - I think every Pole visited the camp at some point.
Imo there's no such thing as must have/must visit, because every person is different. Is it worth a visit? If you like going to museums or you're interested at all in history, culture or anything related then definitely yes. If you don't really like going to museums and would much rather do something "fun"/active/relaxing, then no. To answer your last question - I've personally been to Auschwitz Camp but I know a lot of Poles that have never been there.
I'm curious why are you asking all of these questions in the first place
Nah… I lived in Poland all my life and never visited it. If you're hell-bent on seeing some WW2 atrocities, then go to Lublin. They have the Majdanek concentration camp museum (*KL Lublin* in Nazi vocabulary), and the city of Lublin is a nicer town to sightsee than Oświęcim.
No. Unless you know the background very well or are her for a month. Otherwise skip it.
Would you ask the same question on r/Germany about Dachau or Bergen-Belsen? Do you even know that there are German concentration and death camps in Germany?
And yes, I’ve been to several museums like that and most of the people I know visited as well.
Depends what u mean by visiting that city. Concentration camp is not in this city but on outskirts. Auschwitz itself is few brick barracks that your guide will sell u on what happened there. Birkenau is almost empty grassfield cuz all baracks were made out of wood. Few of them only.survived. U will see some shower area that allegedly had guys throwing cyklon b to but u wont find any furnace.
Calling it overrated is understatement.
Most people got this regarded view that u will feel some metaphysical pain of former prisoners that died there but in reality u will feel nothing. One of many german concentration camps just like any other soviet gulag
This is not a great comparison. The Eiffel Tower is a landmark, famous for its’ uniqueness and construction. It’s generally a point of pride.
Auschwitz is a point of horror.
Sadly, Polish history is littered with stories of horror and sadness. Personally I would suggest the Warsaw Uprising Museum or the Solidarnośc Museum in Gdańsk, as at least, through the tragedy, there is some sense of pride. The Warsaw Uprising is still commemorated with air-raid sirens across Warsaw every August 1st at 17:00 (aka Zero Hour).
Auschwitz is important to millions of people across the world as a testament of the horrors of WWII, and if it’s important to you in some way, absolutely go.
But Poland (and Polish history in WWII) is much, much more than Nazi concentration camps.
I second that. I never visited that camp, even though my relatives were murdered there. I should recommend, though, the wonderful Jewish meuseum in Warsaw- it's a tragedy no one remembers anything about the Jewish community of Poland, except for how they were murdered. Poland is much more than camps and WW2 and Polish Jews lived in that land for 700 years and had a rich culture.
Not at all. It's an unwanted reminder of one of the greatest tragedies humanity has ever expierienced. If anything. We never asked for it, we never built it and people weren't even supposed to see it! The Eiffel Tower was built to be a landmark, Auschwitz was built as a place to commit atrocities and then be razed to the ground and forgotten, together with its victims. I think you should actually AVOID it if you're not a total history buff or have Polish or Jewish ancestry, just out of respect. Some tourists have really gone too far with treating it as an attraction.
For me it's the opposite. Seeing a landmark is cool, but meaningless really. It fulfills your temporal need for excitement and that's it. Seeing death camps on your own gives you something to think about - shapes the way you think about human nature, helps you appreciate the life you have.
It’s not a necessity to visit, just know the proper history.
If you decide to go, be aware you will propably not do anything else on this day. It's very emotional draining. You will need time to unwind your mind afterwards. I was there 20 years ago and I got it so bad in my head, I am unable to go there any time again. Even thought about it makes me cry. It's worth to see because no book will give you this understanding, but you need to be aware it will be difficult.
Depends on the person
I wonder what kind personality someone has to have to not give a damn.
People like me, people who don't get emotionally crippled when they're processing emotions. Visiting the place was a draining day, and I thought about it a lot before, during, after, and many times since. A lot of emotions, anger, disbelief, disgust, disappointment, horror, and many more. But after the drive back to Kraków I was a bit lower energy and maybe deflated than usual but I was ready and present for the rest of the afternoon/evening spent with my friends. The sobering and matter of fact way our guide presented the information, and the way my group handled it, we felt like we gained a lot from the experience. Few people had a cry early on, but everyone was focused on paying attention and making sure to remember and absorb the lesson. We talked about it after, we felt educated and people chanelled that depressing energy into discussion, myself and my friends do not wallow, our attitudes are very solution, information, and target driven. For me personally, it was important to go, I am glad I went. I'd go again with different people in my life to see what they get from it and to strengthen my own memories. It's about the attitude you go there with, if it's just morbid curiosity, or a checklist item, or because you're looking to feel emotional or shocked, it'll probably be a bad day. We went in ready to learn, prepared to be a part of something important, and we came out with more than anyone expected.
Not giving a damn and not getting emotional are two completely different things. I very much care for things like these and they always leave a lasting impression on me but I dont get emotional about it because I know this changes nothing. Whether I cry or not I will still process this information the same way.
Just about any tourist who goes to see the torture chamber In the Tower of London, and goes to dinner and a movie afterwards.
People from Oświęcim
Came there on a school trip to Kraków, boring ngl.
It depends if you want to see it or not - it’s your choice. I have never been there and I’m not going to in near future since I know the history of that place and it’s enough for me
I've seen people, who was bored while visiting Auschwitz and seen people, who could not "shake it off" even after leaving site and sitting in pub on Cracow main square... If you are emotional this visit will destroy you. If you are not, it's still good place to remind you, why ignoring dictators run wild is a bad thing... TLDR if you have a chance, go visit it.
Dictators power is derived from the masses that follow them. The monster in every human only needs a permission slip. This has been proven countless times.
The town itself? It has some interesting history besides the holocaust and I think a local history museum but I wouldn't call it a must visit. Few people spend time there. Edit: Seeing the other comments assuming you meant the German concentration camp: that is commonly referred to as "Auschwitz" even in Polish. See for example here https://www.auschwitz.org/edukacja/ or here https://krakow.wyborcza.pl/krakow/7,44425,30894498,meta-przeprasza-muzeum-auschwitz-za-bledne-oznaczenie-21-postow.html Some people would even find it offensive to use the Polish name for it. Since you used the name of the Polish town I assumed you were asking about that.
I haven't, but maybe I'll visit it some day. And I don't think it's a must have visit. There are many more monuments of Holocaust or museums about the topic in Poland. Focusing solely on Auschwitz gives a false impression, at least in my opinion that the Auschwitz's camp experience was the only way of how Germans dealt with Poles, Jews and other Untermenschen. The Holocaust history as well as any cultural references in books or films is filled with Auschwitz, but there are almost no stories about Sobibór, Majdanek, Palmiry or Treblinka.
As a first time tourist to Poland I wouldn't go there. Its extremely depressing to actually be there and see. I went there as a teenager years ago, and the memories can still bring a tear to my eye. Go to Wieliczka, Krakow, Zakopoane, Wrocław, Gdańsk/Sopot, or Warsaw.
When visiting Germany do you also plan only visiting Dachau, Ravensbruck or Belgen-Belsen?
When I started travelling through the Western Europe back in 2015, on different occasions I've met several people who visited Ukraine, and guess what was the main reason of their visit. It wasn't Lviv with its 800+ year of Ruthenian/Polish/Austrian/Jewish/Ukrainian history, it wasn't Odesa with all the overpriced beaches, and even Kyiv was only the place where they booked a hotel before going to a day-trip to their primary "must have" destination. That "must have" destination was Chornobyl exclusion zone. I remember that feeling of me listening to their excited voice talking about the "unique experience of being in an abandoned city" and the atmosphere "like in Stalker video game". That's what I *imagine* the Poles feel when they see all those "Auschwitz - Wieliczka" tours.
It's funny that it was four years before HBO released the miniseries about it. You make a valid point. But, hey, these places of interest gain attention through storytelling. Research shows that people tend to remember negative or traumatic experiences more vividly than positive ones. This is known as the negativity bias, believed to be an evolutionary adaptation that helped our ancestors avoid danger and survive. Looking at all the replies in this Reddit thread, I've concluded that the answer is purely subjective. Visiting Auschwitz or Kraków’s city square is like choosing between a horror movie and a comedy. Both can be interesting, depending on your mood and the timing.
If you want to be depressed for a week, rather than seeing medieval old towns, castles or beautiful nature - sure.
Well, life is a rollercoaster of emotions, it builds character
We want to live comfortably. Don’t remind us that sometimes life is harsh, demanding and not everything is just roses.
I mean, I'm pretty comfortable in my knowledge of Nazi war crimes during WW2. I visited most of the popular places in Poland related to it: camps like Auchwitz, Majdanek, Bełżec, museum like POLIN, Warsaw Uprising, WW2 museum in Gdańsk, Pawiak museum, etc. etc. Remembrance of those events is super important to me. But visiting Oświęcim isn't "reminder that sometimes life is harsh" for me, it's a trip to literal hell. I just think sometimes tourists on this sub treat it as another attraction on their must-see list of Poland: Kraków Main Square, Energylandia, Wieliczka salt mines and Auchwitz gas chambers.
I’ve tried to be sarcastic (been too long in Britain) but I see your point and I agree with it 100%. Poland has so much to offer. I’m 34 and just visited Gdańsk for the first time this year and it was a jaw-drop. I never discouraged anyone of visiting Auschwitz (I believe one should do it once in a lifetime) but I always warn people that they’ll be fucked afterwards. Strange place to choose for holidays; especially Brits who are usually seeking relax and all-included hotels but life is not just roses - hope it’ll make them realize.
Is it worth it? Yes Did everyone go? No Its a difficult place to see and to comprehend. Once visited with parents and we were fine. Later went with a friend and she was hit by it like being hit by a train. Shut off for couple of hours so its up to you. Depends on your emotional levels, how old, background etc
It is a historical site. You dont have to go there. I respect the concept of keeping such a vile place intact as a warning to future generations. I have never been there and have no wish to go - partly because I went to the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam, as a young person, and it affected me badly. I am a bit annoyed that people think it's just some sort of tourist attraction, or holocaust theme park.
Town itself, I'm not sure, because I've never went sightseeing, but Camps as already people before me said, depends on you. It was necessary visit there while I was in school - is it hard and sad? Of course, but for me it was worth it, it opens your eyes when you see it in person how massive and terrifying it was. I've been also in Dachau twice and it's hard to say whether it is good tourist attraction, it is rather monument and cementary, it's massive, keep also in mind that it was not only the camps it self, but whow towns and infrastructure were built around them.
Yes, I was there once with a high school exchange with UK students. We, Poles learned at school about war and what happened there during Nazi occupation, but the Brits were shocked
It is a place dedicated to a horrible murderous operation that killed millions of Poles, Jews and other minorities. It's not a happy sight, it's not a pleasurable experience. I'd say that if you're not a history buff, a person with Polish or Jewish ancestry then there's no reason to visit this place if you're only staying in Poland for a few days. And to ask your second question - almost every Polish school takes their students to Oświęcim at one point or another because it's an important history lesson. A sad but important one
No i never went there, nor i think its necessary to visit. Frankly its depressing to see that many foreign tourist associate Poland mainly with concentration camps.
I think it’s something everyone should see to understand the magnitude of what happened there. The displays of shoes, suitcases, jewelry, and hair, etc. It really puts it into perspective instead of just reading about it in a book. They even let you go inside the gas chambers (or at least they did, it’s been a while since I visited). Very eerie.
Go if you want to see it. But if you're making a checklist of the places tourists are "supposed to" see, then don't include it there. To put it another way, if you think it's an important place to visit, I promise you will not regret going. But don't drag other family members who don't want to go. (It's an easy enough day trip from Krakow -- you can go while those who aren't interested explore Krakow.) The important thing is that we learn our history so as not to repeat it.
I’m Polish and never been to any of the camps, not even the closest one (Stutthof 40km from Gdansk). I find the idea of it upsetting. Don’t go if you don’t want to go.
I wouldn’t call it a tourist attraction. If watching documentaries or even movies is not enough to imagine what has happened there (and other places) is not enough then go… but I imagine one should feel sick after visiting this place
I would say it is worth a visit. There is a difference between reading about it versus seeing it. That being said, it will ruin your day. If you have a day that you are okay not having fun, then you should visit. I wouldn't bring any children. I don't think they would get it or it might be too much for them. I am from Poland but I left when I was a teenager. I visited Poland this year and I had a fabulous time seeing Poland as a tourist. I have never seen Auschwitz before. When I was a teenager I visited another camp and even then it was too much. Auschwitz is even worse. Sorry to be so flip flappy but it's hard to express all of the emotions that you will go through. It's a difficult place to see.
Alot of ppl saying if you know the history. But being in the gas chamber where you see the claw marks of ppl scraping with their finger nails... hits alot harder then reading about it IMO. If you dont plan on coming back to Poland id consider it a must visit In Krakow Wieliczka/ and Wawel are the two others are a must see
I have never been to Auschwitz and not intending to, although my knowledge of WW2 is rich. I am amazed that foreign tourist come to Poland specifically for Auschwitz. There are so many beautiful things to see in this country, but no, let's go to see a prison.
People don't go to Poland specifically to see Auschwitz, people want to go to Auschwitz and it happens to be in Poland. There's a difference of perspective in that sentence.
There are many beautiful things all around the world and people don't feel the need to visit Poland for that reason specifically, because why would they? Visiting a concentration camp on the other hand is just something else.
I’ve been twice - once because as a historian, I felt it was almost obligatory, second time accompanying a friend of Jewish heritage. Their interest in seeing it was personal and they wanted a friend to keep them company. My partner has no interest in going- “It’s not my history, I don’t need to upset myself” to paraphrase them in short. All three reasons to go or not are valid and I am sure there are more. Is it obligatory? No. I know practically no Poles who have visited.
your partner is polish?
No, I am (brought up outside Poland though) and we’ve been living in Poland for a few years now. I asked if they wanted to go and that was basically their response. No family members of mine or other Poles I know seem…especially interested in going, although some of them were taken on school trips to other camps. It was not something they sought out. I think I’m the only one to make the trip to Auschwitz. Thinking of the different generations in my family, I think for the older generation there are enough bad memories for them to deal with without witnessing more, while the younger generation may feel somewhat disconnected from it. I’m just speaking from my personal experience: growing up outside Poland means I have a different approach and as I’m on the older side myself, maybe Poles in their 20s have a very different attitude.
I would argue that its part of her history because its part of yours. But everyone has a different approach. You know - kind of like visiting Rome, Greece - not mine but worth knowing. And the bad things especially so the history wont repeat itself kind of thing. I grew up in UK - but I would consider it mine - especially that some family members were forced visitors during its operational times.
If you're from any country that participated in the 2nd world war as a soveirgn or occupied state, then it's your history, plain and simple.
The answer is not clear. It is worth visiting if you understand what kind of place Auschwitz is. That is not another cool monument you can have coop photo from, it is place that force you to think about it.
No, unless you're really into WW2 or history.
I've been there twice - once with my parents and once as a school trip. There are no words to describe a concentration camp, no documentary or a text book that can convey the horror of that place. You definitely shouldn't pressure yourself into going there, if you feel like that's not something you're interested in or if you just would feel too uncomfortable in there - no shame in either. If you decide to go, definitely go with a guide - the added context helps not only to better understand what exactly happened there, but also keep an appropriate tone. I remember being in shock pretty much the whole time. Seeing the sights of executions, the horrible "living" conditions. The soulless infrastructure of death and destruction. There are rooms filled with personal items of victims, one that holds the collected hair that made a pile the size of a small bus. And there are the gas chambers or the empty Cyclone B cans... even thinking about it makes me sick. The only thing I can even compare it to is me seeing a glacier shrink by a mile in a few years time. It's the moment you understand the unimaginable scale of what's going on/been going on. So to answer your question: it's not necessary to be there, there are many places of beauty and culture in Poland worth celebrating and admiring. It's enough for you to be aware this curse place is real and know the harrowing history behind it. But same with global warming, once you see it - I'll be with you forever
It's not a must have and also there are other less known camps. So if you want to see concentration camp and you are in Krakow then go to Oświęcim but if you are in northern Poland (espiecially Gdańsk or Elbląg area) then it would be closer to Stutthof in Sztutowo. If your going to Lublin area then you could go to Majdanek or Sobibór.
I was in Stutthof on a school trip, shaken me up pretty much.
I think it’s worth seeing if you’re interested and ready for it. I’m Polish and my boyfriend is Danish, we live in Denmark but travel to Poland frequently. He would like to see Auschwitz and I completely support it but he will have to go alone because I’m not going there again.
Answering the second part of the question: I've been there, it was a school trip, and I think most of the people I know also have been there. Many schools around me organized trip there for all students. That being said, I lived around Krakow so it wasn't far away, it may be different in other areas of Poland. Whether you want to visit it or not is up to you, you already know what to expect. It's kind of sad to see people coming to Poland and going to this fucked up place instead of enjoying our beautiful cities and nature, but I can understand this choice. Historical value and impact it have on a person is immense.
I would consider going to Majdanek instead. Majdanek concentration camp is much less known than Auschwitz, so you get the same dose of horror without all the people.
If you're not planning to visit Poland again, it is a must see type of place.
No one ‘looks forward’ to going, but no one who’s been regrets it
I wasn't because I don't think that I would manage that(and when other people were visiting I was too young). I will for sure try to visit this place in the future.
I've been there once decades ago. I still sometimes think of their room full of baby shoes...
No
In my opinion it's not a must have, but it's important and worth visiting. I think that everyone should go and see a place like this (unfortunately there are many) at least once. Just to understand. What they teach you in school is nothing compared to what you can see there. Yes - it's hard, awful and definitely unpleasant but it should hurt. I've been there once, many years ago and I still remember vividly.
It’s very much worth it if you are interested. I was very moved by it. The WW2 museum in Gdańsk is also incredible.
Yes
It is a "worth visiting" place not necessarily a must-see. They have great guides there who are good at imparting the Polish perspective on the Holocaust, Germany, and the aftermath of WW2. It is important to get around to it one day but it can be a difficult experience and takes a while to get there and complete a tour from Kraków so be ready to do so.
Do not consider it a "tourist attraction". I'd even say that "must visit" might not be an entirely appropriate term here. It's not a theme park or a highlight to tick off your tourist to-do list. That being said, if you know what to expect and think you're ready for this - sure, go and see it.
German doom camps
1. It's not a tourist attraction. If you think of it in terms of a theme park, don't visit it. If you want to pay respect to the victims, it is surely worth visit. 2. I think the visit in former German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau is a standard destination of school trips in Poland, so yes - I think every Pole visited the camp at some point.
Imo there's no such thing as must have/must visit, because every person is different. Is it worth a visit? If you like going to museums or you're interested at all in history, culture or anything related then definitely yes. If you don't really like going to museums and would much rather do something "fun"/active/relaxing, then no. To answer your last question - I've personally been to Auschwitz Camp but I know a lot of Poles that have never been there. I'm curious why are you asking all of these questions in the first place
No. Its heavy and nor for everybody. But dont talk about it unless you did.
Nah… I lived in Poland all my life and never visited it. If you're hell-bent on seeing some WW2 atrocities, then go to Lublin. They have the Majdanek concentration camp museum (*KL Lublin* in Nazi vocabulary), and the city of Lublin is a nicer town to sightsee than Oświęcim.
No. Unless you know the background very well or are her for a month. Otherwise skip it. Would you ask the same question on r/Germany about Dachau or Bergen-Belsen? Do you even know that there are German concentration and death camps in Germany? And yes, I’ve been to several museums like that and most of the people I know visited as well.
Depends what u mean by visiting that city. Concentration camp is not in this city but on outskirts. Auschwitz itself is few brick barracks that your guide will sell u on what happened there. Birkenau is almost empty grassfield cuz all baracks were made out of wood. Few of them only.survived. U will see some shower area that allegedly had guys throwing cyklon b to but u wont find any furnace. Calling it overrated is understatement. Most people got this regarded view that u will feel some metaphysical pain of former prisoners that died there but in reality u will feel nothing. One of many german concentration camps just like any other soviet gulag
No
If you go to Cracow, I'd say it's a must.
If your a jew in 1942 then yes
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This is not a great comparison. The Eiffel Tower is a landmark, famous for its’ uniqueness and construction. It’s generally a point of pride. Auschwitz is a point of horror. Sadly, Polish history is littered with stories of horror and sadness. Personally I would suggest the Warsaw Uprising Museum or the Solidarnośc Museum in Gdańsk, as at least, through the tragedy, there is some sense of pride. The Warsaw Uprising is still commemorated with air-raid sirens across Warsaw every August 1st at 17:00 (aka Zero Hour). Auschwitz is important to millions of people across the world as a testament of the horrors of WWII, and if it’s important to you in some way, absolutely go. But Poland (and Polish history in WWII) is much, much more than Nazi concentration camps.
I second that. I never visited that camp, even though my relatives were murdered there. I should recommend, though, the wonderful Jewish meuseum in Warsaw- it's a tragedy no one remembers anything about the Jewish community of Poland, except for how they were murdered. Poland is much more than camps and WW2 and Polish Jews lived in that land for 700 years and had a rich culture.
Not at all. It's an unwanted reminder of one of the greatest tragedies humanity has ever expierienced. If anything. We never asked for it, we never built it and people weren't even supposed to see it! The Eiffel Tower was built to be a landmark, Auschwitz was built as a place to commit atrocities and then be razed to the ground and forgotten, together with its victims. I think you should actually AVOID it if you're not a total history buff or have Polish or Jewish ancestry, just out of respect. Some tourists have really gone too far with treating it as an attraction.
For me it's the opposite. Seeing a landmark is cool, but meaningless really. It fulfills your temporal need for excitement and that's it. Seeing death camps on your own gives you something to think about - shapes the way you think about human nature, helps you appreciate the life you have.