The D1 is the main motorway East out of Prague and goes to Brno then to the Polish border. The centre of the concrete slabs have all sunk so the van goes thump thump thump as it goes over them. During the drive I really feared for the vans safety. It was my plan to go to Auschwitz and come back this way to Brno then down to Austria but there’s no way I’m going to use this road if possible so I’ll go to Austria via Slovakia (a new country, yay!)
Also the D1 stops after it gets near the border with Poland, completely closed while workers presumably try and fix the poor state of it. Taking country roads as a detour, and having my brain fried by the GPS shouting “make a U turn if possible”, I unfortunately hit a Polish border patrol while doing nearly 60km/h in their 30km/h zone. Two jump out with speed cameras and I’m fscked… He points to the side of the road and I hit the brakes hard. I got out of the Bambi and a slightly built Polish policeman came up to me all nervous “Can I see ID please?”. Not sure why he’s nervous, there are five of them with guns and one of me armed with only a bunch of keys.
Showed him my passport and answered a few questions. He asked me to open the back, had a quick peer inside and thanked me for my time. I’m on my way again and to be honest the detour off the motorway was a blessing in disguise – lovely villages and quaint little churches, some made of wood. I’m kicking myself for not taking a few pictures.
Polish roads are not the best in the world, especially out in the sticks where they seem to get patched up time and time again. It took a bit of concentration to make sure I didn’t bang out on some really bad bits.
The last 20km seemed to take forever with lots of pedestrian crossings and traffic lights. I checked out a Polish supermarket and bought some Polish sausage and salami (when in Rome etc.)
Before long I was at the Dialogue Centre. With all the wrong turns and detours I had been driving for 8 hours with a couple of breaks so I was ready for something to eat and a cold drink.
Arriving at the Dialogue Centre I was gobsmacked at how neat it was, and was greeted by the suited and booted staff in the cool marble reception area. This oozes 5 star hotel instead of prayer centre / library cum hostel.
I paid the 60 Zloty for the two nights (about £11) and was told to pitch anywhere I liked on the site. Picked an area of grass right with an electric supply and water tap right by the shower block with just me on it, and one other van on a different part of the hotel grounds. I’m scratching my head as to why more people don’t come her.
Found out my fridge is collecting water at the bottom so it’s defrosting. Must be a fault with it not working as I’m driving along – another job for the list. There’s a loud humming noise and looking through the trees behind me, there’s a 100kv/20kv substation right next door. Within a couple of minutes I’ve got used to the humming noise and can’t be bothered to move anyway.
Food and drink sorted out, I decide to wander a block away to Auschwitz I. This is the first concentration camp in the area and was expanded later into Auschwitz II – Birkenhau at a nearby village, I’ll visit there tomorrow.
Walking into Auschwitz concentration camp I’m horrified to see a fast food cabin just inside the car park. Pressing on I get to the main reception area. It’s hot and I fancy a sit down and a cold drink in the more upmarket cafe but on approaching I see an elderly woman sobbing with her head in her hands. It’s too much for me and I turn back.
Going through to the main part of the museum, you get to the main camp itself. The Arbeit Macht Frei sign has been restored after being stolen and cut up. I’m sure everyone is familiar with this sign.
Heading in there are a number of brick buildings which were originally a first world war camp pressed into service by the Nazis to take their prisoners.
These had extra floors built on to make even more room and a number of extra buildings were constructed. Even these could not hope to cater for the large number of people being shipped into the area, resulting in the massived Auschwitz II being built at nearby Birkenhau.
Down at the far corner of the camp is block 11 where the worst brutality took place. A wall between blocks 11 and block 10 to the left was used to execute prisoners by shooting them. Block 10 was used for experiments on women. It’s here you get a sense of just how depraved the regime were.
It’s also the block where prisoners were starved to death including the Saint Maximilian Kolbe who gave his life to spare another prisoner. Incidentally, the street on which the Dialogue Centre stands is named after him.
Walking down to the other back corner of the camp is situated an old weapons store which got turned into a crematorium to deal with the growing number of executed prisoners. The morgue next door to the furnaces was later turned a gas chamber and is where the initial tests on gassing prisoners was carried out.
A memorial now stands in the centre of the room used for gassing prisoners at Auschwitz I. Looking at the walls you can see the fingernail marks all over them as people suffered in agony from the gas.
For me, this is the worst part of the site, it’s the place where thousands were murdered and you can see their last moments ingrained into the walls.
I walk back a block or two to the van and decide to read a book I bought before leaving the museum. A few tinnies then off to bed…
