A Tribute to Elie Weisel

“To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time.”

The day before I went to Poland, Elie Weisel passed away at the age of 87. He was a Noble Peace Prize winner, iconic write and Auschwitz survivor. Night is one of my favorite novels and it made my visit a little more special.

I am going to be honest, I really do not know what to write for this post. I woke up the morning of my tour anxious, excited, nervous and overwhelmed. I have read several books, watched countless movies and documentaries about The Holocaust but I still did not know what to expect. I have decided to honor those who suffered and survived the camps with an exert from Night.

“Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, that turned my life into one long night seven times sealed.
Never shall I forget that smoke.
Never shall I forget the small faces of the children whose bodies I saw transformed into smoke under a silent sky.
Never shall I forget those flames that consumed my faith forever.
Never shall I forget the nocturnal silence that deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live.
Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes.
Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself.
Never.”
― Elie Wiesel, Night

Advice When Visiting Auschwitz

1. If you take an organized tour, stay later. There is public transportation every hour until 7 pm back to Krakow.
2. Visit both camps, Auschwitz and Birkenau.
3. If you plan on visiting the camps without a tour guide, there is free admission before 10 am and after 3 pm. In-between you can only visit the camps with a tour guide.
4. Read EVERYTHING. I stayed all day and read almost every sign and picture caption. It was all very meaningful and educational.
5. Be respectful. Remember that this is a place were millions of people suffered. You should have the utmost respect while visiting. Don’t be on your phone the entire time, be thoughtful while taking photos, respect everyone around you and also try not to be loud.