Text and photos by Maggie Zolides except where noted."
One of the major reasons I applied for this program was to visit Auschwitz and Auschwitz-Birkenau. I focused on the Holocaust in college and continued to teach it throughout my career. The most difficult part became the desensitization that comes with discussing such difficult topics day in and day out. This not only leads to difficult emotional situations but can lead to glossing over details and intricacies of the human experience. I don’t think this is possible when you are standing in the location.
The scale of the camp is truly shocking, but it is the evidence of intentionality that remains that really struck me. As the survivor Marian Turski said, “Auschwitz did not suddenly fall from the sky.” Every brick was laid with a plan in mind and those plans were constantly adjusted to changing circumstances like limited resources and space. Everything was done with a purpose to kill as many people as possible. You cannot avoid this when you are there.
While the tragedy looms large there, I was also able to marvel at the people who survived. The resistance and perseverance that people have demonstrated is absolutely incredible. I have been privileged to work with such survivors during my time at the Holocaust and Humanity Center in Cincinnati, Ohio but don’t think I ever truly realized how much it took for them to get there. One of the most moving experiences came when I read through the Book of Names- where Yad Vashem has listed all the known murdered in the Holocaust- to find one name notably absent. Werner Coppel was a survivor from Germany who settled in Cincinnati. I was blessed to know him during my internship and at the numerous talks he gave around the Greater Cincinnati area. My favorite memory was when he interrupted me by saying, “What are you working on, it’s not important…” and showed me the results of his own research- finding his Auschwitz intake papers and those of his family members. We ended up discussing his family and experiences in Cincinnati in his normal upbeat way. Thinking back now I am in awe of how he was able to keep that positivity after experiencing such horror. While Auschwitz reframes the terror that took place, it also really puts in perspective the indominable spirits of those who survived.
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