I left Auschwitz’ “camp I” and headed by foot over to Birkenau, which is technically called “camp II”. On the way, I had to walk through some of the outskirts of Oswiceim (the Polish town name that the SS re-invented Auschwitz), and noticed this sign. The irony of considering Oswiceim a “town of peace” was almost mournable. A “town of memory” or maybe a “town of silence”, but “a town of peace”? No way. Anyway, as you come closer to Birkenau, the first thing you notice is the train track that ran to the camp. There is a large building at the gateway that has sort of a “town hall” look and feel to it, and I have read that a sort of tinsel-town was constru
cted around the first parts of the entrance to help people believe that Birkenau was just a “normal town” and stem the surging fear as the cattle-cars moved further down the tracks.
I left Auschwitz’ “camp I” and headed by foot over to Birkenau, which is technically called “camp II”. On the way, I had to walk through some of the outskirts of Oswiceim (the Polish town name that the SS re-invented Auschwitz), and noticed this sign. The irony of considering Oswiceim a “town of peace” was almost mournable. A “town of memory” or maybe a “town of silence”, but “a town of peace”? No way. Anyway, as you come closer to Birkenau, the first thing you notice is the train track that ran to the camp. There is a large building at the gateway that has sort of a “town hall” look and feel to it, and I have read that a sort of tinsel-town was constru
cted around the first parts of the entrance to help people believe that Birkenau was just a “normal town” and stem the surging fear as the cattle-cars moved further down the tracks.
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