Auschwitz-Birkenau - "Judenrampe" — Attraction in gmina Oświęcim

The sites themselves were very interesting and pretty well preserved. The impressions and experiences were very intense, everyone should go there at least once in a lifetime.

Managementwise it was a catastrophe. If you come to the site - like me - without any appointment, guided tour whatsoever, you're in for a sad surprise. Today the site was only open for 08 - 10am and 4 - 5pm for independent visitors. In between you can only get in there with a guided group of people, separated by language. We had no choice than get a ticket for spanish guidance (15€!), even though we don't know the language. The tour lasted an hour and a half, then we had to leave. Personally i could've spent at least 3 hours in there, in order to get as many impressions as possible.

It is obvious, that the management and the touristic industry try to make money out of the sites, which would be okay, if the money would be used to preserve this historic place. But it isn't. So they make profit on the tombstones of millions of people, it's horrible.

tl,dr great site,...

Very informative guide, Teresa. Needs a lot of work to make it more accessible for wheelchair users. Needs raised pathways. Needs elevators - a lot of the exhibits in Auschwitz are on the upper floors of the buildings. Pathways at Birkenau are very worn and uneven. Found it strange that the two ruined crematoria and the barns are left open to the elements. Perhaps needs a purpose-built museum next to the facility, along the lines of the Holocaust Museum in Washington. Good to see so many young visitors from all over the world there paying their respects. Still don't understand why the Allies didn't destroy the crematoria and disrupt rail access. But will never understand the Nazi worldview which led to the barbaric genocide of Jews, Russian prisoners of war, homosexuals, mentally and physically disabled, gypsies. "Never again" seems futile and short-lived when genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Ukraine have all happened within the...

Our visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, guided through the annals of history, was both poignant and haunting. The Auschwitz leg, led by a knowledgeable guide, immersed us in the tragic details of the past. The remnants of personal belongings and chilling artifacts served as visceral reminders of the human toll.

A shuttle to Birkenau expanded the narrative, the vastness of the grounds magnifying the scale of the tragedy. Standing before the remains of gas chambers and crematoria, the silence spoke volumes. The guide's narrative wove together historical context and personal stories, leaving us emotionally shaken yet grateful for the chance to bear witness.

Auschwitz-Birkenau is more than a site; it's a solemn testament to human resilience and a stark call to remember. This visit demands reflection on the darkest chapters of humanity and encourages us to strive for a world devoid of...