Auschwitz-Birkenau: the largest nazi concentration camp of the 3rd Reich

Poland Auschwitz-Birkenau

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Auschwitz-Birkenau is an impressive place that has become the synonym of the Holocaust but it’s also a site that helps future generations understand the errors committed in the past that shouldn’t be repeated. It is located in Poland and was operated by the Third Reich annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II. Today is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Traveling with Purpose

I visited the site and museum while I was studying a semester abroad in Austria. I went to study there for my undergraduate degree with a scholarship that covered all my expenses; you can read more about how to win it in the post How to win the Ernst Mach Grant for a semester or year abroad in Austria.

Let me share with you how to get there, which is the site’s history and main characteristics, and other recommendations on what to do during your visit.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - Train rail

1. How to get to Auschwitz-Birkenau

 

The concentration camp is located in the city of Oswiecim which is very close to Krakow.

Depending on the place you are located, you will have several options to get there, but I’ll explain how to get there from Krakow because most probably you’ll find yourself visiting the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland, which is very close to the concentration camp.

The website www.rome2rio.com is a good option to plan your trip, you can go:

  • By train: it takes around 1 hrs 44 min. to take a train from Krakow Glowny to Oswiecim. Prices vary between $5 to $8 USD and you can book your tickets on the Polish Railways website.
  • By taxi: it takes around 53 min. to travel by taxi from Krakow to Auschwitz for $45 – $60 USD.
  • By car: it takes around 53 min. to travel by car from Krakow to Auschwitz. You can rent a car in Rentalcars website.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - Bus

2. Opening hours and fees

a. Opening hours

The Museum is open all year long, seven days a week, except January 1, December 25, and Easter Sunday. You can start the visit in the following hours:

  • 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM December
  • 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM January, November
  • 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM February
  • 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM March, October
  • 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM April, May, September
  • 7:30 AM – 7:00 PM June, July, August

b. Fees

  • Admission to the grounds of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial is free of charge.
  • For better understanding the history of Auschwitz it is suggested a visit with a guide, which has a fee.
  • Due to an overwhelming interest in visiting the Auschwitz Memorial, you can make an online reservation at visit.auschwitz.org. This is the only guarantee of entering the Museum on the date and time of your choice.
  • The duration of a visit is determined solely by your interests, however, at least 3.5 hrs. should be reserved.

You can find more information on the Auschwitz-Birkenau official site.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - Entrance

3. History and main characteristics

History

It was established by Germans in 1940, in the suburbs of Oswiecim. And was in use until the Allied liberation in 1945.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - train wagon

Reason of existence

The camp was established because the mass arrests of Poles were increasing beyond the capacity of existing “local” prisons.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - dark rooms

Two camps

Auschwitz was the first and oldest so-called “main camp” or “Auschwitz I” (the number of prisoners was around 15.000 to 20,000). The second part was the Birkenau camp (which held over 90,000 prisoners in 1944), also known as “Auschwitz II”.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - overview

Dead

Historians estimate the number of people murdered at Auschwitz was somewhere between 2.1 million to 4 million, of whom the vast majority were Jews.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - prison

Gas Chambers

The majority of prisoners were killed in the various gas chambers though many died from starvation, forced labor, disease, shooting squads, and medical experiments.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - stove

Personal items

In June 2016, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum re-discovered over 16,000 personal items belonging to victims.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - things

Museum

It has been established as a museum to help future generations understand the atrocities committed within its fences.

Europe - Poland - Auchwitz-Birkenau - Quote

4. Recommendations

  • Visit Krakow: another must see place after Auschwitz-Birkenau is the beautiful city of Krakow where you can see amazing buildings, eat in nice restaurants and walk through its streets.

Poland Krakov

Are you interested in traveling around the world? In the Travel Section you can find detailed travel guides for different cities, touristic activities, recommendations, tips, and much more!

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11 Comments

  1. 05/06/2017 / 11:27 PM

    Very cool. Experiences like this are so important to have in life!

  2. 05/06/2017 / 1:06 PM

    Helpful post and heartbreaking subject matter. I don’t know if I could handle going there. The weight of it all, I think, might do me in emotionally.

  3. 05/06/2017 / 12:07 PM

    We were in Poland last year, spending several days in Krakow, and made the decision NOT to visit Auschwitz. I do believe it is an important site and we should never forget what happened there, but my kids were too young at the time (7 and 3). They would never be able to grasp the concepts of genocide and concentration camps. My husband and I decided we will return later on when the kids are older and we can properly teach them about the atrocities that took place.

  4. 05/06/2017 / 6:13 AM

    It seems dark and heavy when facing such sad history and thanks for the introduction and info. Poland is definitely on my bucket list and the holocurst is definitely a must-see in the country! @ knycx.journeying

  5. 03/06/2017 / 11:52 PM

    I was fortunate to be there too to witness the horrible history. We must really learn from our mistakes and make the world a peaceful place.

  6. 03/06/2017 / 4:09 PM

    This must have been so hard to see in some ways. Even just seeing your photos makes me cringe, but I think it’s important for us to see things like this. Thanks for sharing so much great info on things like getting there and the hours!

  7. loisaltermark
    03/06/2017 / 2:45 PM

    I think it’s so important for people to see this in person and really understand what went on there. I’m glad you posted this, and I hope it will encourage others to visit and not let history repeat itself.

  8. 03/06/2017 / 2:29 PM

    This reminds me of Ann Frank. I should be very interesting to visit this place.

  9. 03/06/2017 / 12:14 PM

    Awesome tour! I love history and thank you for sharing. It is a good place to explore!

    Pammy – joyfulsource.com

  10. 03/06/2017 / 10:33 AM

    I do like Heritage tours. This one is interesting. I like the pictures and the description that comes along with it. Thank you for posting your detailed itinerary.

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