Friday 24 July 2015

Nowa Huta (July 24th)

Today, we participated in a communism tour of Nowa Huta, a district of Krakow built as a gift to the Polish people by the Soviets. We learned of the lifestyle of those is communist Poland, rode in a Trabant 601, which is a car built in Communist times, and climbed on a Second World War-era tank. The group learned about the communist ideal of equality, but as George Orwell says in Animal Farm, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.” This is an interesting concept for us to try to wrap our minds around. Many of us were very surprised by this concept of a non-existent equality being forced on people. Soon, a philosophical debate erupted, begging the question: What is equality? There are many different answers to this question, but many of us came to the conclusion that equality among humans is impossible, as it is just not in human nature. One person will always see themselves as better than others. The best we can do is try to stop injustices like the Holocaust, which we have studied for the past two months, from happening again.

On a very different note, we also saw the first church built in this communist neighbourhood. Poland, at the time, was a densely populated Catholic country, with over 90% of its population identifying as Roman Catholic. The switch between this more religious life and the communist, “godless” life was very difficult for many people, so they fought to be able to build their own church. We all could admire their endurance for this cause as many limits were put on them. The construction of this church took about ten years. Everyone could admire the unusual beauty of this church, so many of us were inspired to fight harder for causes we believe in. I was inspired to join more clubs and councils at my school to fight for rights for everybody. For me, and probably many others, this limit on the right to freely practice religion in this part of Krakow seemed very wrong. Communism is all about this ideal of “equality,” but is taking away everything from a person’s identity really equality?
                    -Phoebe M
This picture is of the Trabant 601 that we rode in as well as the bus. It is also from the communist time.


This is the bus we took around Nowa Huta. It is a bus from the time when Poland was under communist rule.



We had the opportunity to climb on a Second World War era tank, which many students found "extremely cool."


This was the inside of our bus during the tour.


This is an image of the church that was built by the people of Krakow fought to build while Poland was a communist country.

  

Wadowice and Zacopane (July 23rd)

Today we started off our day with a visit to St. Pope John Paul II’s birthplace in Wadowice, Poland, and then onto the mountain resort town of Zakopane.
In both places I had a lot of fun trying traditional Polish foods, such as Papal cream cake, otherwise known as Pope cake, which was St. Pope John Paul II’s favourite cake.  Once in Zakopane, the smoked mountain cheese sold by vendors at every street stall was delicious! Pope cake can be described as having a thick layer of cream and custard filling that is sandwiched between two squares of pastry. Many of us who tried it said it was rather sweet but tasted good nevertheless. The smoked cheese tasted different than any cheese I am used to eating in Canada, and it had a uniquely salty aftertaste. Trying both of these foods was a new experience for me and I suggest that if you ever decide to go to these places, to definitely try both items or consider your trip incomplete.
Unlike the other places we have visited on this trip, today's adventure was intended for pure fun. I enjoyed the markets the best overall. The markets were filled with bright colours, music, people talking and souvenirs. I felt a huge rush of excitement once I had spotted it. There were so many different shops that the whole area became a huge labyrinth. There was so much to see and buy, it was quite overwhelming.  At one point we visited a shop three times because we ended up getting lost in all the excitement.
-Nadia P.

The Church in St. John Paul II's hometown

On the gondola to the top of the mountain

The view of the surrounding mountains
Jenny captured two photos of the beauty that is Zakopane! 



Wednesday 22 July 2015

Auschwitz (July 21st)

I have read books, seen pictures, and watched documentaries. I have experienced the shock of seeing the horrors of the Holocaust in photos and films, yet all the emotions I felt during those times pale when compared to what I felt standing at Auschwitz, which is one of the camps of the entire camp complex of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Auschwitz consists of rows upon rows of barracks ringed with barbed wire and watch towers. One difference between Auschwitz and other concentration camps is that the barracks are made of brick; this is because the camp of Auschwitz was a former Polish military base. I thought that I was prepared and that Auschwitz would be like the other camps. Little did I know that I couldn’t be anymore mistaken.

We visited many of the barracks which have been  converted into exhibitions. Inside the exhibitions were artifacts from the prisoners of the camp; many were personal articles such as suitcases and shoes. I was shocked to see so many of those articles; there were at least a million pairs of shoes and countless suitcases in the glass cases. What really shook me was the case full of the hair that the Nazis stole from people murdered in the gas chambers. It dreadful and I felt horrified that people could do such a thing. It is so hard to describe such horrors; it is those instances that one would only understand if they experienced it firsthand.

Today I realized how important it is for the Holocaust to be remembered and that everyone in this course has the responsibility to bear witness. People cannot allow such a horrible event to happen again. As George Santayana, a Spanish philosopher said, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” 


- Conan W. 

First glance at Auschwitz
The Book of Names

The shoes of the victims

Auschwitz has evolved into one of the most feared words of the past two centuries, a word that instills fear and horror in the lives and memories of others. I am a witness. What I have witnessed words cannot even begin to describe.
"Auschwitz was designed to kill" said Mr. Max Eisen, a survivor of this infamous concentration camp.
As you can imagine, I have experienced a variety of emotions walking through this haunting sight, and to make our experience even more real, we had an Auschwitz survivor travelling with us. Mr. Max Eisen lives in Toronto, and was deported to Auschwitz from Hungary when he was only 15. I can only imagine the tragic thoughts going through his mind as he relived his painful experiences again today. A few words that I would use to describe my experience in Auschwitz are horrifying, haunting, and hopeless. The physical buildings were moving, but it was what is inside that would scare anyone: hair from the victims, original torture chambers, and the scratch marks on the walls of the gas chamber. These haunting sights will always be with me. It was clear to me that Auschwitz was designed to kill and, sadly, the people who built and operated it did succeed in killing over 1,000,000 people at that camp alone.
In addition to the sights I witnessed, the number of tourists and their behaviour was quite alarming. It felt like I was in a amusement park:  people were drinking pop, eating pizza and ice cream, and taking selfies outside the gas chambers. I thought it was disgusting. I felt like screaming at them.  I thought to myself "Do they know where they are?" and “How extremely disrespectful can they be?”  I wish they could have conducted themselves in a more appropriate way.

Tomorrow is chapter two of our Auschwitz journey because we will be travelling to Auschwitz-Birkenau.  I am curious to learn and experience this site tomorrow. It is important that we continue to bear witness and to share these stories so history cannot repeat itself. As a new witness, I will say to anyone:  “Don't be a bystander.”  “Stand up to wrong-doing.”  “Be the one who upholds justice and makes peace.”  “Love your neighbour as you would love yourself.”  “Respect everyone!”
-James P.

Walking Tour of Krakow (July 20)

Today was a sunny and enjoyable day. In all honesty, it was pretty relaxing compared to the past couple of days. PG15 took to the streets of Krakow and we visited many stunning sights during a walking tour of the city, including two prominent and striking places: St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Basilica Church and Wawel Cathedral Church. Both elegant churches were breathtaking, and the stories and details that encompassed the buildings were truly something that all of us marvelled at. 

St. Mary’s, originally built in the 13th century, has an interior of overwhelming beauty and is a rich sculptural masterpiece. However, it did not always stand the way it does today. After a raid on Krakow in the 13th century, the church was left in ruins, and it took an extreme amount of effort to build it back up to the iconic standard it withholds today. By the 15th century, the building was a place of tradition, religion and community. 

As I walked through, learning about the rich history, I was absolutely awestruck at the gold impressions on the walls and beautiful religious figures moulded. Taking photos was not allowed, but I saw this as sort of opportunity to take everything in and notice all the beauty in the moment. A place like this has been standing for so long and has served such a great purpose in terms of continuing on the religious practices of so many people. A feeling of comfort in our lives through congregating with family and religion is an important way to reflect upon our own lives, and the lives of many others surrounding us now and in the past. The prosperity that this magnificent building has and the voices of the prayers within the walls is something that I will never forget. 


-Claire W

 



Monday 20 July 2015

Majdanek (July 19th)

I have seen pictures on the Internet. I have read books upon books. But nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed today at the Majdanek, the former concentration and death camp, located just outside Lublin, Poland.
From the exterior, the layout of the camp looked exactly how I had pictured it:  Rows upon rows of barracks, a building with a large chimney hidden in the distance, and a barbed wire fence surrounding the entire area. Although I knew what to expect to see in terms of the camp’s exterior, the interior remained a mystery.
The first building we went into was the shower room and gas chamber. In all honesty, I both dreaded and craved to see this building the most. I did not want to view this building solely out of curiosity. I wanted to view it because this is the building which either gave the prisoners hope or suffering, depending on which part of the building they were escorted to. I wanted to see how one building could have immense amounts of power over the prisoners. At the same time, I dreaded to stand in the room where the brutal mass murder of thousands of innocent people began.
Once I entered the building with the group, I understood the power that this horrific building contains because I was able to physically feel it. The pain that I felt was as if the aura of what happened still hung heavy in the air and was weighing down on my chest. Although it has been approximately seventy years since the gas chamber’s final kill, the pain it delivered then had the power to consume me today.
We first walked into the shaving section of this particular building. This is the section where all of the prisoners were dehumanized further, having all their body hair shaved off. They lost their identity and their dignity. While standing on the exact concrete floor in which people were when this event took place, I was filled with so many emotions my body did not know how to cope. My legs began to feel weak and my heart began to race.
The next room we visited was where the victims were cleaned and showered from filth and hidden valuables. In this room our guide read us survivor testimony from a little Jewish girl. It is as follows:
My mom and I were waiting a long time outside while the guards tried to organize everything. I was complaining to my mom and she told me to have patience and how it will be our turn soon enough and when our turn arrives, they will shower us then we will be escorted to rooms where we will eat followed by some rest. I asked her if she was sure they would not kill us and she reassured me with a knowing smile and explained how everyone else who went in to the showers were able to dress then go get sleep and food so why would it be different for us. With her reassuring words I was beginning to look forward to the shower and the rooms. When the time for our shower finally came and I was standing in the showers along with many other women, I wanted to run and give my mother a big hug and show her how much I loved her for being right. But as I looked around, I could not find my mother. I turned to the lady beside me to ask if she had seen my mother and she said, ‘your mother is gone. I will be your mother’.
Following the reading of this story, tears immediately clouded my vision and I was filled with a sort of pain that I have never felt before. The pounding of my heart continued to increase and I could no longer keep my emotions inside. I began to cry. I was not crying because I was simply sad for what took place. Rather, I was crying because I could not imagine the pain and suffering that this little girl, as well as countless others, have had to endure for no reason. I could not imagine losing the one thing that is most important in my life: my family.
                                        -Brianna T.



When it was first announced that the group would be arriving at Majdanek I was quite confused, as we were still in a big city named, Lublin. On our last moment on the bus, a re-occurring question passed through my thoughts, “How can the citizens of Lublin look over this once operating concentration camp, and be reminded of the haunting past?” This was quite frightening and alarming for me. It was emotionally difficult just walking through Majdanek for a couple of hours, but there are many citizens who look over it every time they look out their windows.
When we drove into the driveway I was completely traumatized to see barrack, after barrack lined up in multiple rows. Over the course of the 2015 Germany/Poland trip, we have visited other former camps, but the vast number of buildings still intact since WW2, overwhelmed me. It is one thing to see pictures of the Holocaust, but it’s a whole other experience witnessing remnants of it's history right in front of you.
When we started our tour, we were shown a path, which was known as “Black Road”. The reason for this name was because it was where many perished after spending endless hours in crowded cattle cars, with minimal food and water. As I quietly walked down this path I couldn’t imagine the thoughts these prisoners might have experienced; Fear? Cloudiness? Unease? This path represented the last steps of many innocent human beings, who were once remembered with a name and a story, but would be killed, identified with a number and a race.
Every time we arrived at each concentration camp I thought of those who had stood here before me; the pain and suffering they had to endure, the loss of family and friends, the loss of identity. Over the course of this field study my eyes have opened to the notion that life is truly a gift. I am extremely grateful for the life I have been blessed with: my amazing family, my great friends, and the opportunities I have been able to take part in. I am also truly thankful for the freedom I have living in Canada. Canada is a country where all ethnicities, sexualities, and religions come together as one great community. I am thankful to be able to say that I am Canadian.
                                        -Maddy F.





Treblinka (July 18th)

Today we witnessed Treblinka, a once nightmarish locale plagued by the horrors of the Holocaust.  When we first arrived at the former camp, however, we were greeted with a lovely scene of trees and growth, as if the earth was showing us the hope one needs to find out of this dark place. 
            Our excursion started with a hike towards the memorial, which was accompanied by a small dog.  Our new friend followed us throughout our walk, and so a few of us decided to embrace him, calling him Max.  When I first saw the memorial, my mouth dropped; I am sure I speak on behalf of everyone.  The size of the monument in the middle and the shear number of stones burst from the ground like fireworks on the First of July. 
            While walking through, stone by stone, I began feeling alone; a sense of hopelessness overcame me.  I became lost in the field of stones, which I sense victims must have felt in their short time at Treblinka.  I tried to seek answers to the questions that popped in my head.  I tried to find hope within the site, but nothing came up.  ‘Unbelievable’ is too small a word to represent the scene we were walking through.
            As we carved paths through the stones, I could not help but reflect on how one ideology – hate – created this place.  Treblinka, Poland will never be the same based on the events that took place on this site over 70 years ago.  On this very site, I lost members of my own family; members who I never had the opportunity to meet.  I realized that where I stood cold-blooded killers murdered my family.
            The message I am trying to grapple with is to stop things like this before they get out of hand.  When 800 000 people die because of one ideology, there is a problem.  We must stop the famous phrase, “history repeats itself” because we as a human race have the power to stop this kind of history from happening again.  One voice can turn into a million voices, and one arm can turn into a million arms working towards a single goal – we are called to love.

                                                -Matthew C.

From our wonderful prayer service today, led by Conan and Luke, a very powerful message of hope from Ms. G and Claire. Love, the basic human value that connects us is all the people at Treblinka needed, and exactly what they did not get.

A dead rose. This type of rose was scattered everywhere around the memorial. It is a sign of life, death and beauty. No matter the age, beauty never dies. A rose is beautiful no matter how it looks and you can say the same thing for Jews. They are not rats or a disease as anti-Semitic views would dictate, they are children of God, and therefore respected. Roses scattered the memorial showing off their beauty and like the rose, true beauty is not determined by race or religion

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews (July 18th)

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews thoroughly taught me about the lives of Polish Jews, and their treatment over many centuries. Before our visit I had a general understanding of how the Jews in Poland were treated, but it wasn’t until visiting this museum that I really grasped the reasons behind changing views of Jews in Poland. One of the most interesting pieces of information that came to life was linked to the name of the country Poland itself: it is believed to have come from the word “Polen,” which was the call to the Jews to settle in the land of Poland.
Walking through the museum there were various exhibits relating to different time periods in which Jews lived in Poland. Early Polish history depicts Jews playing an extremely important part in the Polish economy. Many Jews were important merchants and politicians, and thus shaped Poland’s economy to become stronger. Another fact I learned was of how throughout the early part of Poland’s history, Polish kings continually tried to protect the Jews by giving them equal rights, punishing those who harmed Jews. It appeared that the Polish Kings acknowledged Jews as contributing and important members of the country, unlike other nearby countries who kept them separated from the rest of society.
While the Polish kings thought positively of Jews, Poland’s citizens, especially Christians, felt threatened. One of the examples on display was of how many people would rather have had a Jew rent and operate their tavern, as it was believed that Jews were accurate bookkeepers. This angered many Christians causing a continual resentment of the Christians towards the Jews.
To me this was a major factor that caused anti-Semitic views that grew in Poland before the Second World War. As time went on, Jewish rights began to slowly disappear. By World War II their treatment had taken a complete turn for the worse, which was only fuelled by the continued anti-Semitism.

From the museum visit, I learned more about the history of Polish Jews, and specifically just how vital they were in shaping Poland into the country it is today. It teaches us that discrimination is wrong, everyone is equal, and everyone can contribute positive and useful ideas. It’s wrong to stereotype, as every person is different. A lesson to bring home from this experience is:  in the end it doesn’t matter whether we are rich, poor, Christian, Jewish, Black or White; all that matters is what we do with our lives.
                                        -Luca M.
The exterior of this new museum, which just opened in 2014.

“Before death all are equal regardless of religion or class”. To me, this picture and accompanying text connected how the Polish kings viewed the Jews: that in the end all will be equal so why not just treat everyone equally now?