8 votes

A warning to those visiting Auschwitz

5 comments

  1. dynarr
    Link
    Wow, that’s really disturbing. I was there a few days ago and didn’t see anyone behaving that way. Maybe it’s because our guide was especially dour, and explicitly reminded us a few times that...

    Wow, that’s really disturbing. I was there a few days ago and didn’t see anyone behaving that way. Maybe it’s because our guide was especially dour, and explicitly reminded us a few times that this was not just a museum, but also the final resting place of an incredible number of victims. But you really shouldn’t need that reminder, and it boggles the mind that people could behave with so little respect while there. That does leave a sour feeling in my stomach.

    3 votes
  2. mistouflon
    Link
    A short film worth watching: https://aeon.co/videos/a-day-in-the-life-of-auschwitz-today-is-a-mix-of-history-tourism-and-prayer "In After, a stark and haunting look at the daily activities of...

    A short film worth watching:

    https://aeon.co/videos/a-day-in-the-life-of-auschwitz-today-is-a-mix-of-history-tourism-and-prayer

    "In After, a stark and haunting look at the daily activities of Auschwitz today, the Polish director Lukasz Konopa deftly captures a setting where the horrors of the past and the activities of the present exist side by side."

  3. 789
    Link
    It happens in a more dramatic way at the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin. Instagram is full of people climbing the blocks or doing acrobatics against them.

    It happens in a more dramatic way at the Memorial to the murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin. Instagram is full of people climbing the blocks or doing acrobatics against them.

  4. Tetizeraz
    Link
    The comments in the reddit post and I can help but agree with this opinion:

    The comments in the reddit post and I can help but agree with this opinion:

    Well I'll bravely post an opposing viewpoint here... I don't think taking photos is a bad thing. Yes, yes, yes, taking selfies and grinning is definitely bad.

    But taking photos is a way to share the horror with the overwhelming majority of people back home who will never go to Auschwitz. A picture is worth a thousand words and some things you see at death camps are just truly horrifying - no words can even describe them. But a picture can, even if it's on facebook.

    Also, the cynic in me is rather suspicious about this guy's need to take a stand and simultaneously advertise the video he made. What's the difference? Advertising a video you made vs. taking photos to share with people back home. If he really wanted to be respectful according to this rules, he would not have mentioned his other video or posted a direct link in the description.

  5. rib
    Link
    I'm not really disturbed or surprised, it's that youtubers opinion that that behavior in that place is wrong (and i'm inclined to agree), but it's not his place to say, if the custodians of that...

    I'm not really disturbed or surprised, it's that youtubers opinion that that behavior in that place is wrong (and i'm inclined to agree), but it's not his place to say, if the custodians of that historic site want to prohibit that behavior then they should.

    But some people don't have a somber body in their bone so it's hardly surprising to find 'shocking' behavior which you aught not to be so shocked about.