We visited Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Poland. At Auschwitz I, we toured exhibits documenting transportation routes and evolving bunk conditions. A Jewish building featured videos of pre-war Jewish families, propaganda displays, children’s artwork from before the war, and a giant book-like display of the known names of 4 million+ who perished.
Our guide Jules offered a powerful reflection: ‘When Jews arrived at Auschwitz, their names were replaced by numbers. It’s exhibits like this, and people like you, that give those who perished their names back.’
Birkenau presented a contrasting experience — a deteriorating death and labor camp with four crematoria.
While Holocaust education is taught throughout childhood, experiencing these sites firsthand reveals the gravity of remembrance in a way nothing else can. We must teach the value of human life to our children and maintain our commitment to Holocaust education and memory.