 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Anyone visited Auschwitz, Chemno or Dachau ?? |
 
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| WarPig Member Since: 05 Dec 2009 Location: Sheffield Posts: 1748   
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A big
 up to you Lambley for intending to visit. I intend to visit these as well, perhaps when my son is old enough to understand. I always hunt out these kind of places when on my travels and I dont think its morbid at all. In fact I think those that do find it morbid are actually just ignorant.
Some of these places Ive visited include the Normandy beaches, bridge over rive Kwai, Pearl Harbour & Royal Marines raid at St Nazaire, all totally fascinating. Im the type of person that would normally prefer to visit solo as opposed to a coach trip. However, the Normandy beach trip was an organised coach trip where we had a guide, and I can honestly say that without the guide I would have missed so much info, the guide was invaluable. So if you do go to one of these places, I would advise paying for a guide to take you around. |
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3rd Aug 2013 12:08pm |
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| borderterrier Member Since: 09 Dec 2011 Location: Surrey Posts: 1677  
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Been to Colditz, Auschwitz and Belsen and they are all very similar yet very different. Very moving experience in all of them and you come away with plenty to think about. Concur with above, get a guide for the full experience.
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3rd Aug 2013 12:22pm |
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| BigWheels Member Since: 21 Mar 2010 Location: Somerset Posts: 1405 
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Seeing won't lead to understanding why, but will have revelation, on not just Nazi German organisation, but human nature. Concentration camps were a British invention from the Boer War (& pre-dating those, American Indian reservations are not too far distant in attitude). Land Rover Defenders. 67 years heritage, minimal appearance changes, still going strong all over the world. Not a fashion vehicle, but fashionable to own. Made for the needy, not the greedy. Ta ta Defender
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3rd Aug 2013 2:56pm |
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| Timo K Member Since: 23 Aug 2012 Location: Helsinki Posts: 169 
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Visited Auschwitz this June. Was absolutely to the brim with American tourists. I don't think very many of the giggling teens quite understood the gravity of everything that took place there.
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3rd Aug 2013 6:23pm |
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| WarPig Member Since: 05 Dec 2009 Location: Sheffield Posts: 1748
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It was like that in Thailand when I went to see the bridge. But instead of yanks it was japs, snapping away with their cameras at anything that moved, or stood still  |
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3rd Aug 2013 6:57pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015  
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I was at Auschwitz last week and as Timo has experienced I was disappointed- not in the place, but with the way it has gone.
You arrive and there are THOUSANDS of people there waiting to go in- I was with a planned tour so got to miss the 1-2hr queue for tickets. You get rushed through and get introduced to your guide (groups are of about 30-40 people). Once moving you find that you get held up by the group in front as they describe things- not too bad but then the Italian and Spanish groups behind have no patience so end up half through your group, and of course they have the typical shouting going on......... The organisation has turned into a 'cash cow' and pushes people through like a conveyor belt. The groups is what really gripped me. People there treat it like a 'tourist attraction' People taking happy snaps of everything. When visiting the more 'morbid' areas there are signs stating not to take photos... it is a respect thing... but to most (90%+) of the people there it means- this must be a good bit so take as many pictures as you can get away with... again, the guides/ security don't confiscate cameras they just say 'no photos' and carry on- surprise surprise, once their back was turned the snapping continued again. Content of information........VERY lacking, it is aimed at someone who has never heared about what went on- I felt dumber for listening to it!! I am glad I did it and when talking to my partner on skype that night she expressed a wish to see it herself too- so we will be going back but more than likely we will go in the colder months out of holidays- that way she (and I) will have a much better experience. Just my 2c worth Glyn  
If you are interested in learning more about it there is an awesome documentary on NETFLIX.... I put it on one night at about 9pm thinking it would be 1hr long- I didn't get much sleep that night- information was amazing and was from many angles which also included after liberation.- it is worth subscribing for |
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3rd Aug 2013 7:09pm |
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| Lambley Member Since: 20 Apr 2013 Location: Mid Devon Posts: 1435 
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Thanks for the replies, sounds like it might be better to go out of season to miss the crowds, I was planning around October/Nov time. I like the sound of Colditz too.
Question was partly to do with how to get there, I know that some of the camps are a long way apart, so if going again - would you go by car or fly over? |
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3rd Aug 2013 7:33pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015
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If you decide on Auschwitz, I would say fly. Krakow has LOADS of hotels/ B&Bs that do transfers and all the tours there include transport to and from the sites (The salt mine there was AWESOME too). My plan is to head back about the same time- will for about 4-5 days as the city is pretty awesome too
I think it was about £25 for the day (0830 from camp site and returned at 1430) included water... maybe coffee on cold days? Glyn |
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3rd Aug 2013 7:56pm |
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| WarPig Member Since: 05 Dec 2009 Location: Sheffield Posts: 1748
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An interesting account Glyn
I can just imagine all those teenagers tweeting about the place whilst updating their facebook status. Sad isnt it! |
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3rd Aug 2013 8:03pm |
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| BigWheels Member Since: 21 Mar 2010 Location: Somerset Posts: 1405
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Like they've never seen Schindler's List.... prob not as its black & white & "arty".
Weird, I live 1/2 hr from Uffculme (& further 1/4 hr Dunkeswell) in Devon where WW2 missions & Normandy US paras took off from. No tourists, but as much historical awe as more famous places. Land Rover Defenders. 67 years heritage, minimal appearance changes, still going strong all over the world. Not a fashion vehicle, but fashionable to own. Made for the needy, not the greedy. Ta ta Defender |
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3rd Aug 2013 8:13pm |
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| Glynparry25 Member Since: 16 Feb 2009 Location: Miserable Midlands Posts: 3015
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I had to restrain myself from saying anything...... Personally I was disgusted at it all. But I guess it is all supply ad demand nowadays.
Submarine pens in Balaclava (Ukraine) was great (All in Russian and no English though). Currently in Croatia- driving through small towns/ villages that still show the scars of battle- I find things like this really gets you feeling something compared to 'commercialised tours'. Glyn |
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3rd Aug 2013 8:15pm |
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| smb Member Since: 15 Jan 2013 Location: Cheshire Posts: 1232 
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Thanks for your commentary Glynn. I was in two minds whether to drive over there in the Defender in two weeks time with my son or wait until half term. I've decided on half term which will hopefully be quieter due to the weather.
We went last year to Oradour-Sur-Glane in Southern France after visiting great uncles graves in Somme and Ypres and for a 12yr old(then) he is getting a very good understanding of what war is about and the levels of inhumanity some will go to. If anyone has driven there and back like what Lambley has asked, are thee any good routes to enable you to see as much as possible in a two week period allowing for a Defender's speed!? Thanks |
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3rd Aug 2013 10:51pm |
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| Nobby Member Since: 09 Aug 2012 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 444 
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If you go to Belson, make sure you visit the Russian POW camp as well. It's to the rear and after walking around Belson then the Forrest to the Russian camp it is very sobering. _______________________________
Puma Defender 90 |
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3rd Aug 2013 11:01pm |
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| bigdave Member Since: 13 May 2010 Location: Cornwall Posts: 342
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I'm not sure who wrote it but,, a man who forgets his history is doomed to repeat it.
I visited the Norwegian resistance museum in Oslo, many many moons ago as a teenager. I was invited to stand in the spot in front of a post where the Germans shot some of the resistance leaders. To this day the chill I felt down my spine still lives with me, Lest we forget. Respect. Shipping is my thing. If we cant shift it, to anywhere, it cant be shifted!! md.couriers@virgin.net |
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4th Aug 2013 12:12am |
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