Day 5

I liked going to the Jewish Community Center, and I was very happy to be able to sign up for their newsletter.  I plan on emailing them to see if any of the survivors would be willing to exchange emails for a bit, not just for my thesis report, but just for the opportunity to speak to a survivor one on one.  I loved Olga’s story of the survivor who did not have her Bat Mitzvah because she was imprisoned at the time finally having it so many years later.  I would have loved to see something like that for myself.  I also got a bit of respect for President Duda knowing that despite his law, he is still willing to speak to the Jewish to get their prespective.  I would have liked it if Jonathan would have been able to go into more detail over what they discussed, but given that it was a private session (and that we were a bit late and he had other things to attend to,) I understand why he didn’t.

I liked a lot of what I saw at the Museum of Contemporary Art.  Some of it I looked at and thought “I could do this,” like take pictures of every day objects.  But others I could not do.  I especially liked the pieces connected to the Holocaust, like W. Stelmachiwicz’s paintings of Olympic athletes with paint splattered over their image.  These weren’t just any Olympians, according to the information hanging next to the paintings, they were the athletes who competed in the 1938 games, and the paint over them signified Stelmachiwicz’s disgust with the Nazi regime and the crimes they committed.  I also liked Gregory Klaman’s piece modeled after the infamous “Arbeit Macht Frei” gate, only his says “Kvnst Macht Frei,” or “Art Makes You Free.”  Obviously, work did not make the prisoners of Auschwitz free, and to this particular artist, art did not set them free.  I would not necessarily call this a critique, more of an observation, but as I stated in my previous blogpost, the ‘B’ in Arbeit was deliberately put in upside down as a way for the prisoners to subtly defy the SS guards.  There were no letters that were upside down in Klaman’s sign, but then there were no letters that they could flip in a subtle way.

There were a few pieces that I found disturbing, and I mean that in a good way.  The man/raven figure that spoke every so often will give me nightmares, I am sure, and the sounds coming form Przemslaw Jasielski’s Object were very unnerving.  Even though my thought was a pendulum from a clock, the sounds varied in volume and tone, and I found it a bit creepy.  There was also the printer/camera with al the printed pictures scattered around.  I did not realize that it would take my picture as I took a picture of it.

This entire trip was an experience, one that I will be forever grateful for and glad I participated in.  I saw and learned so much, met some great people, and have gained a new prespective on several different aspects.

Day 4

Seeing Auschwitz I and Auschwitz-Birkenau was not something I could prepare myself to see.  To know that I stood on the ground where hundreds of thousands of innocent people died in some of the most inhuman ways imaginable is haunting.  Worse is knowing how few of the SS guards and Nazi doctors faced judgement for what they did.  I knew Mengele escaped and lived a long life afterward, and I am quite frankly, glad to know that he had a stroke and drowned, because his last moments were probably filled with fear and anxiety, just as many of his victims had been.  However, to know that only ten percent of the guilty were brought to trial angers me.

I’ve heard it said that the sign at the entrance to Auschwitz I, “Arbeit Macht Frei,” or “Work Sets You Free,” was cast by Jewish prisoners under SS orders, and the B in ‘Arbeit’ was deliberately put upside down as a subtle way of defiance.  I was a little disappointed our guide did not point that out, but she did give quite a bit of information elsewhere in the camp, like the stripped flag outside the death wall.  I liked how she explained the significance of the Jewish rememberance bunker before we went inside, so that we could appreciate the Jewish music and sounds of every day family life better, though I definitely wish she did the the same before we went into the crematorium, particularly since the sign at the entrance requests silence and respect.

The two places that hit me hardest were the rooms with the hair, and the rooms with the shoes.  I’ve been to the United States Holocaust Museum before, and have seen their collection of shoes (donated from Auschwitz, as I recall,) but the amount of shows in D.C. as compared to here is staggering.  And to see the hair, actual human remains really hit hard.  While most of the hair was brown, I did see several blonde hairs, which puts yet another hole in Hitler’s Master Race = blonde hair, blue eyes criteria.  Of course, the man himself did not have blonde hair, and was clearly insane throughout most of his life.  Sadly, people believed the things he said to the point where places like Auschwitz still stand.

I’ve known that Hoess was tried and executed for his crimes, but I do not recall anything I’ve read before saying just how close his execution site was to Auschwitz.  He was hung next to the crematorium, and on the other side was his house.  That is the best example of poetic justice I have ever seen.

I was unprepared for just how big Birkenau was.  I knew it was set on a field, but I did not think of how big the field was, and how much stood there.  More than once as we walked through I struggled to understand why sites like this could exist and yet people would deny the Holocaust, and say things like the 1.3 million deaths were an exaggeration, there were never gas chambers, etc.  If that were so, why then would the Nazis destroy them?

Seeing the large book with the names of all the Jewish prisoners who died, as well as the pictures of the shaved prisoners also had an impact.  So many lives were lost and cruelty taken, and for what?

While I saw some people being a bit disrespectful at the camp today, I admit that I am relieved that the shops sell only books and documentaries.  While Krakow heavily advertises Auschwitz as a tourist spot, the camp itself is done respectfully, as it should be.

Day 3

Poland Art and Culture

One of my most favorite things about visiting foreign countries is learning of the local legends.  Gregory told the story of the two brothers who worked on the towers of the church.  When the younger brother finished his tower first, the elder murdered him in a fit of rage by stabbing him with a knife.  Then when the guilt got to be too much, he confessed his sin in the very church they worked on, and stabbed himself with the same knife he murdered his brother with, and Krakow is said to have kept that very knife and has it on display.  I find it ironic that they would display a murder weapon on the front side of the village square, but the severed head the artist gave to the city is a bit too much, and they keep it a bit more out of the way.

I loved the statue of the Battle of Grunwald, and knowing all the history that it holds.  The Nazis destroyed it in World War II, (because of course they did), but the Polish were eventually able to build a replica of the statue and put it in the spot it once stood.  What’s more, the Oscar Schindler factory has an original piece on display; one of the heads.

I was disappointed to know that photos were not permitted in the church or the palace, because there really was such incredible works of art there.  At first I wondered if it was a spiritual reason, that the bodies of such important people are resting in the church, but then pictures are permitted at the cemeteries.  I think it was likely because too many people ignored the rules of no flash photography, and so those in charge of preserving the sites just said no cameras period.  If it were possible to put in a suggestion box for both places, I would like to say flyers at the various coffins and rooms should be offered with a picture and information on the piece available.  That said, I think my favorite part of the church was actually the doors featuring the skeletons dancing on the swords and crowns, signifying that death does indeed come for everyone, no matter their status.

Holocaust and Memory

I am curious as to what the Jewish population in Krakow is now, because even though it was said to be small, we saw a great deal of Jewish people out and about today, especially at the new synagogue. Obviously there was a celebration happening, and that could be the reason we saw a lot, and they normally do not live in this town.  

I was looking forward to Oscar Schindler’s factory, and it did not disappoint.  Obviously the Holocaust was a terrible occurrence, but to know there were good men like Schindler who defied Hitler, be it openly or covertly, restores a bit of faith in humanity.  I asked our guide if the Swastika tiles on the floor were original, and he said no, and explained that the museum wanted to have them there for the theme of that particular room.  He went on to say that the museum had to apply for it, and explain their reasons for wanting to have it along with the request, because displaying the Swastika flag is illegal in Poland and in Germany, unless it is in a museum.  I would like to see the United States follow that example for the Confederate flag, though I seriously doubt that will ever come to pass.

I was surprised that our Schindler guide was allowed to speak of the Polish compliancy with the Nazis.  He even said that the Polish who were guilty of working with the Nazis, whether by choice or fear had to answer for those decisions once the war was over.  The bookshop even sold Jan T. Gross’ Neighbors.  I wonder if in the same way the museums are permitted to display the Swastika, they can say a bit more about why the Polish complied with the Nazis, at least for now.  After leaving the museum, Gregory pointed out to us the remains of the ghetto wall, and I am glad to know that it is preserved, despite the memories it holds.

Despite the church being absolutely frigid, I am glad I attended the concert.  I have watch the Phantom of the Opera film before, and I was very impressed with how a string quartet was able to perform what is usually a piece done by a much bigger orchestra.  They did bring me to tears, not because of the Schindler’s List theme or what was identified as Chopin’s Waltz on the program, though Dr. Rotter said that was not what it was.  I recognized it as Nella Fantasia as sung by Celtic Woman.  What made me cry was Glenn Miller’s Moonlight Serenade, which I know to be a Frank Sinatra song.  My great-grandfather, who passed away last June, was a big Sinatra fan, he had even seen him perform at local bars well before he became famous.  Many a day I spent with Papa just listening to Frank Sinatra with him, and hearing the quartet play it made me think of him and cry.   

Day 2

We did not see a lot as a group today, but individually, I saw a lot.  The art in the National Museum in Warsaw was stunning, and a lot of it was just massive.  I have seen a lot of various artists’s interpretation of the Annunciation, and there were so many at the museum today.  A lot of the crucifix sculptures were very graphic, the wounds and scars on Christ’s body were a lot more pronounced, and one featured a risen Christ holding the wound on his side open and pointing to it.  The Battle of Grunewald by Jan Matejko was incredible, it took up nearly the entire wall.  The plaque next to it did not have the dimensions, or if it did, I missed it, but upon doing a Google search, I found that the painting is 186x389 inches, or 14x32.4 feet.  The amount of time, patience, and dedication Matejko had to complete it is nothing short of astounding.  I have wondered before if artists work not only to make a living, but to perserve their immortality, and in my opinion, Matejko certainly has.  All of the artists featured in the building have, I would never have the patience to create what they have.

If I have ever ridden on a train before, it was when I was too young to remember it today.  I found the rooms we were in very cozy, even with five other people.  It was a very comfortable ride too, and faster than I anticipated.  To be honest, I did nap for a good portion of the ride, and I am glad I did, because I got to see a lot of Krakow before we take our guided tours tomorrow, plus I did a lot of shopping and bought souvenirs for my family and friends.  I also learned through the shopping trip that as Warsaw uses a mermaid for their city’s symbol, Krakow’s symbol is also a mythological creature; theirs is a dragon.

While Krakow does have modern stores and restaurants like Starbucks, everything about the town looks so old, and I mean that in the best way.  If you do not pay attention to the lighted stores and just the buildings themselves, it almost feels like traveling back in time.  We got in a horse drawn carriage, and while it was 100 zlotys for the ride, it was still a memorable experience.  I hope to get a lot of pictures of the places Amanda and I saw this evening tomorrow in the light.  One of the buildings had a banner advertising Rembrandt, and I would love the chance to see his work.  I am very excited to see the castle and have our guide point out the significance of all of the buildings.

Day 1

We saw so many amazing sites today, I’m not even sure what I should talk about.  I think what is most amazing is the fact that the Polish built again on top of where the Warsaw Ghetto once stood.  It says a lot about their resilience, and, to put it lightly, is akin to telling the Germans where they could stick it.  That, and they built a lot of the buildings to look like what was there before, again, as if to say “you can knock us down, but we will rise again.”

Several statues stuck out in my mind, I loved both of the monuments dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising.  The men climbing over the broken down wall and charging, and the other statue featuring the insurgents climbing down into the sewers to get away from the Gestapo.  I also really liked the three women holding up the Supreme Court, and the priest getting annoyed because the statues featured the natural curves of a woman’s body.  I liked seeing all the statues of Josef Pilsudksi too, I recognized him due to his mustache even before our guide pointed him out to us.  I am very curious about the brothers Stanislaw and Janusz and their deaths.  While early twenties is a very young age to die, as I understand it, not many people lived very long lives in the sixteenth century.

What I loved most in our morning tour was the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Respect to the military is always something I have taken very seriously, having served and been a part of the military all my life.  To know that Poland has one very similar to our own, and that two men will guard the tomb 24-7 means a lot to me.

The Polish Museum History of Polish Jews was a bit of a roller coaster of emotions for me.  To see the amount of care and dedication to it once again said a lot about the Jewish pride and resiliance.  The wooden painted synagogue was impressive, and so very close to the actual size of the original structure at 80%.  I wonder if President Duda is aware of some of the text there.  At least two that I noticed say “some Poles denounced the Jews to the Germans or murdered them themselves” or, regarding the Jedwabne progrom, the Poles “humiliated Jews, beat them, and finally burned them alive in the barn.”  I find it a bit disheartening to know that people cannot publicly denounce the Poles for their actions or lack thereof in World War II.  While I obviously cannot speak for everyone, I think most Poles were more concerned with the safety of their own families, and some attacked their Jewish neighbors in front of the Gestapo out of fear for punishment geared toward them.  For those reasons, I can hardly fault the Polish for what happened then.

As a lover of history, I like knowing that a Jewish synagogue managed to survive.  While it is a bit insulting to imagine the Germans using it for their horses, it was for that very reason that the building still stands and the Jewish were able to reclaim it as their rightful property and house of worship.

The Jewish Cemetary was not at all what I was expecting.  Most cemeteries I see back home have the headstone that aligns with the ground, and all of the Jewish headstones were elaborate and held a lot of meaning, like the broken trees.  What I loved most there was the monument to the children who participated in the Uprising, and the amount of respect that was given.