75 Years After Auschwitz Liberation Photo Post

“For ever let this place be a cry of despair and a warning to humanity, where the Nazis murdered about one and a half million men, women, and children, mainly Jews from 

various countries of Europe.”

Today, as the world commemorates the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, I have to ask: are we still listening to this ‘warning to humanity’? I’ve often wondered about this as an American disappointed in her country’s politics since 2016, an expat living in London who’s dealing with British politics/Brexit and as a world traveler who has seen and heard racist comments over the years.

On January 27th, 1945, the 1st Ukrainian Front of the Red Army liberated the remaining prisoners at the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in southern Poland. Historians estimate that between 1940-1945, the Nazis sent at least 1.3 million people to Auschwitz, and only a couple hundred ended up surviving.

While we were living in Poland, we felt that it was important to visit Auschwitz and to see the atrocities that happened there. With a rise of antisemitism happening around the world, it’s more than important than ever to remember what happened at Auschwitz and other concentration camps during World War II.

Looking back through my unpublished photos from our trip to Auschwitz in 2013, I felt like they were crucial to share especially since it is the 75^th anniversary of the liberation. Seeing the remains of the camp, gas chambers, empty suitcases, leftover shoes – all left their mark on me, and it’s a day I’ll never forget.

The photos of Auschwitz speak for themselves.

“Arbeit macht frei” is a German phrase meaning “work sets you free.” The slogan is known for appearing at the entrance of Auschwitz and other Nazi concentration camps.

Female prisoners at Auschwitz

Male prisoners at Auschwitz

Gate leading into the courtyard of the execution wall between blocks 10 and 11 at Auschwitz.

One of the womens' barracks houses. 3-4 people would sleep next to each other on the hay.

Crematorium at Auschwitz

The photo above shows the gate house, which is the main entrance into Birkenau, also known as the Auschwitz II concentration camp. In May 1944, freight trains that were 40 to 50 cars long rolled through this gate, day and night, bringing thousands of Hungarian Jews to be gassed at the four Birkenau gas chambers. The prisoners called it the "Gate of Death."

According to the Auschwitz Museum, 434,351 of these Hungarian Jews were not registered at the Birkenau camp; instead, they were gassed immediately upon arrival.

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A Very Merry Christmas Market in Krakow

With an imposing, 14^th-century gothic church nearby, horse-drawn carriages and a historical market square, I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect place for a Christmas market.

The Main Market Square, called the Rynek Glówny, in Krakow offers an impressive backdrop for a Christmas market. On Sunday, after a 3-hour train ride from Warsaw, we arrived at the market with our visiting friends. Lucky for us, the market, which traditionally starts the last week of November, stayed open until Dec. 31. this year.

I couldn’t wait to explore the market!

St. Mary's Church, re-built in the 14th century (originally built in the early 13th century), dominates Krakow's Main Market Square.

The scent of sizzling fat Polish sausages immediately hit my senses. Several busy stalls sold all kinds of delicious pork products such grilled kielbasa, various sausages, sauerkraut cooked with porky-goodness bits and a smaller form of Poland’s national dish of golonka (roasted ham hock). And dear readers, you know how much I love pork!

While the guys ordered grilled kielbasa for us, I wandered over to a stall selling Hungarian lángos (a deep-fried flat bread made of a potato-based dough)  – the same ones I had eaten at the Great Market Hall in Budapest. Later on, we were tempted not just once, but four times by the grilled oscypek, a smoky, salty sheep’s milk cheese from the Tatra mountains. This warm cheese is particularly tasty with a dollop of tangy cranberry compote.

After our bellies were full, we continued to warm up our bodies with Poland’s mulled wine, which was sold from dozens of giant barrels with medieval lettering reading: “GRZANIEC.”

Krakow’s Christmas market also offered about 40 rustic wooden stalls selling the folk art and handicraft items that were plainly missing from the markets we recently visited in Copenhagen. We found traditional  Polish pottery, embroidered tablecloths, metalwork, hand-carved spoons, Nativity scenes and bowls, stained glass Christmas ornaments, wooden swords for children, handmade candles, woolen slippers and hats and jewelry as well as gingerbread cookies from Toruń and other sweets. If you're looking for a particular folk craft or decoration, you certainly will find it here!

 

Our friends were delighted to explore this Christmas market as well as the stalls inside the historic Cloth Hall with us.

Christmas lights inside Krakow's Cloth Hall market.

When we tired of shopping, we roamed Krakow’s cobblestone streets and visited numerous beautiful churches. Did you know that Krakow trails just behind Rome with its abundances of churches per square mile? In fact, in the Middle Ages, Krakow was known as “Small Rome” for its many churches, according to our Rick Steves’ guidebook. (I’ll try to share some of my church photos soon.) 

This was our third trip to Krakow, and I’m betting it won’t be our last. Visiting this festive Christmas market certainly cinched that deal!

Cobblestone streets decorated with Christmas lights in Krakow, Poland.

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6 Reasons to Visit Krakow for its Christmas Market or Anytime

In the last few weeks, I’ve heard much ado about the Polish Christmas markets held in Krakow and Warsaw.

I cannot wait to experience them firsthand!

We are planning to take a weekend trip down to Krakow later this month to visit the city’s Christmas market, held in the Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square). The market opened this past weekend and will be open daily through December 26. Krakow generally ranks as one of the top 10 European Christmas markets as mentioned in this Mirror UK article and this article by The Guardian.

Though we’ve already visited Krakow twice this summer, I’ve been told Krakow’s Christmas market is simply splendid and offers up dozens of stalls selling traditional Polish cuisine and mulled wine (grzaniec), locally made Christmas decorations and more. You’ll need the hot, spiced wine to stay warm especially since snow is expected to be falling here soon.

A view of Krakow as seen from the Wawel Royal Castle.

If you haven’t visited Poland’s “Little Paris” yet, here are my Top 6 Reasons to do so for its Christmas Market or honestly, anytime of the year.

1. Rynek Glowny (Main Market Square) dates back to the 13^th century, and is surrounded by many historic townhouses, restaurants and churches in its large, open space. This is where you’ll find most of the city’s activity around the clock and its Christmas stalls as well as old-fashioned horse-drawn carriages that will make you feel like you are Cinderella. To top off its magical ambience, you’ll find street performers dressed as a Mary Poppins look-a-like, the Devil himself and other colorful characters.

Take a horse-drawn carriage ride from Krakow's historic Rynek Glowny.

2. The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice), also originally built in the 13^th century, is located in the center of Krakow’s square. The hall once was a major center of international trade dealing in textiles lead and salt from the nearby Wieliczka Salt Mine and exports from the east such as spices, silk and leather. Today, the hall houses numerous stalls that sell Polish pottery, amber jewelry, wool slippers and other handicrafts.

Left, Krakow's old Town Hall Tower, and right, the Cloth Hall.

One of the numerous stalls selling Polish pottery and amber jewelry.

3. Wawel Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski Wawel), perched proudly on a hill overlooking the city, is undoubtedly, Krakow’s shining jewel. The castle served as the seat of Poland’s royalty from the mid-11^th to the early 17^th century. The castle ground’s has about 10 exhibits and rooms open to the public, but advance reservations are highly recommended. I’ve only visited the Dragon’s Den and Sandomierska Tower because of the long lines and a limited number of tickets are sold each day. For reservation information, check the Wawel Royal Castle’s website.

The Wawel Royal Castle and its cathedral.

4. Historic Catholic churches, such as St. Mary’s Church and the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, also serve as some of Krakow’s well-known landmarks. It seems like you walk by a pretty, historic church every few blocks here! The St. Mary’s Church is Gothic in design and boasts a highly decorative interior including a 15^th-century wooden, gilded altar.

I honestly liked the Church of Saints Peter and Paul more, mainly because we enjoyed a lovely classical concert here one night. This Baroque church, built between 1597–1619, is adorned by life-size sculptures of the 12 apostles.

Sculptures and an ornate pipe organ at the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Krakow.

5. Polish food is hearty fare and so good! In Krakow, you’ll find the always popular pieorgies at restaurants and the modern day Milkbar on Tomasza Street. Also, many of the city’s street vendors seem to sell a Polish version of Turkish simit called obwarzanek, small, crunchy bread rings seasoned with poppy seeds, sesame seeds or salt.

Of course, don’t forget to have a Polish kielbasa or two! We enjoyed ours along the riverfront behind the Wawel Royal Castle as well as a pint of piwo.

6. Jewish history – you can’t come to Krakow and not explore the city’s rich Jewish history as well. In Kazimierz (The Jewish Quarter), named after the Polish King Kazimierz the Great (Casimir III of Poland), you will find several historic synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, a Jewish museum, a market center and a myriad of narrow streets and tenement houses to explore. Following WWII, the old Jewish district fell into ruin, but today it has been revitalized with a Bohemian feel from the small cafes and coffee shops that exist.

We stumbled upon this funky flea market in Kazimierz.

Inside the Jewish Museum in Krakow.

Have you visited Krakow? If so, what did you enjoy most about this historic Polish city?

How to get there

From Warsaw, you’ll find trains running nearly every hour from Warsaw Centralna to Krakow. The ride takes a little over 3 hours, and tickets can be bought in advance online through the PKP Intercity website. You can find one-way second class tickets for as little as 51 PLN ($16.50) per person.

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