So, this week after my final week of work, which I have loved absolutely and will miss a great deal, I was able to take a few days and visit Krakow Poland. When people asked why, in honesty it was because I wanted to take the opportunity that I had to visit Auschwitz, the most infamous site of the Holocaust.
Auschwitz was perhaps the most sobering and somber place that I have ever visited. The feelings and emotions that are encased in those walls are palpable, real and heartbreaking. This was the site of the deaths of some 1.5 million people, all within a little town called Oswiecism, Poland. The whole time during the visit I pondered on the meaning of what had happened, and continually the question came to mind of how it was possible that men and women could do such horrendous things to other men and women. They would watch them as they froze to death, standing in line for roll calls for no purpose or point. Random beatings, arbitrary executions, and torture. And the most horrifying, the mass murder of millions, who were sent unknowingly to their deaths thinking they instead that they were being sent to showers. It was hard to believe, and impossible to comprehend.
Yet, I know that if I were to return to Poland I would visit again, only to experience the same thoughts and feelings. Why? I don't know if I can truly answer that question, beyond the understanding that ignoring history cannot change it. Instead as we seek to understand history, we can change the world that we are in today, and can shape the future to be a better place.
An example of this was found in something that we did the next day. We visited Schindler's Factory, the enamelware and munitions factory which supplied the German war effort, yet also allowed Oscar Schindler to save the lives of some 1200 Jewish people. He risked his life for that, knowing that in Poland helping Jews was punishable by death. He was not alone, many tried to help the Jewish people risking everything because they knew it was the right thing to do.
I think it was these two sites combined that made such a powerful and life changing impact on my soul. In two days I was witness to both the absolute best and absolute worst that we as human beings can become. In dehumanizing others, the Nazis had become animals whose sole purpose was to gain power and cause sorrow and suffering. On the other hand there are dozens of examples, both in Holocaust stories and elsewhere, of people who will make any sacrifice and pay any price sometimes to help absolute strangers.
Indeed the city of Krakow itself is a vital example that life truly is beautiful. It is a city of vibrant life, with heartwarming beauty. It is a reminder of why we live and love, the story of a city that has seen the worst of human history and yet defies that ugliness, daring us to find joy in the majesty of life. The Kazimierz serves as a beckoning call that the human spirit prevails over pain and tragedy. The town's many Churches climb to the skyline, reaching out to a loving God who will never abandon mankind. In short, I loved this city. From street performers, to an amazing concert in an ancient fort, to the running of the rubber duck I loved this city.
The Churches, including the LDS Church which we visited, amazed me. For decades these people lived under Communist rule, which in many places completely destroyed religion. Yet in Krakow, dozens of peoples filled the Churches, attending masses, taking time from busy lives to remember that Being who gave us life. It was an invaluable reminder to me of the importance of religion. The LDS Church was very small, but the faith that was evident was amazing.
These are my musings regarding my time in Krakow, it was a wonderful trip that truly changed my life. It was also a great opportunity to spend time with a friend, Claire, and to be reminded that life is wonderful.
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