BBC World Service - The Documentary Podcast, Heart and Soul: Kai Höss - My grandfather the Commandant of Auschwitz
The grandson of Rudolf Höss, the commandant of Auschwitz preaches against antisemitism
Auschwitz
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johnnytapia
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Jonathan Dimbleby on R4 today was brilliant; they played his dad’s report from Belsen. Harrowing but superb.
Due to go to Krakow in July and plan to visit. I believe you can get a bus/train direct from the city so will probably do that but I feel that we may miss out on a lot of info by not having an actual guide. Do they do self guided tours (headphones etc) so you can do this at your pace?
Random fact is that Rudolp Hess was arrested by Olivia Newton John's father!
Random fact is that Rudolp Hess was arrested by Olivia Newton John's father!
The Lightbowne Cowboy
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I hope he didn't say 'You're the one that I want' when he nicked him.
Bobby the blue
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My uncle went in September and he said you have to have a guide now.
I have family in krakow so my first time going was in the 80s. Once was enough for me.
Don’t plan anything on the evening as it will take it out of you mentally.
Grassland Blue
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The Polish railway station name is spelt differently. It is Oswieczim I think. My spelling may not be 100%.
EastStandLower
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You'll be able to book a trip from Krakow (minibus) this will a guide etc.
We got ours from our hotel. Not excessively expensive.
The eerie feeling of entering the camp is intense, to see the unthinkable actions that took place is very humbling..
Bobby the blue
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It would wipe out most of your day to be honest.
There’s lots to do in krakow and depending on how long you are there for what you cram in.
I was there in September with my dad and uncles and cousins as my grandad was polish and came over during the war. We are the polish equivalent of the dingle family.
If you want any help or suggestions feel free to message me.
manclad
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Is that polish or do you really mean Polish ??
Bobby the blue
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I mean he was from Poland. I’m not sure what you mean to be honest.
manclad
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Well one is a nationality,and therefore begins with a capital letter (P).
And the other is something that you can use to make cars,floors and shoes nice and shiny.
Bobby the blue
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Ok, I’ll be sure to proof read my posts before clicking send next time.
Grassland Blue
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I think that you would need to devote a full day for your visit from Krakow.
ninjamonkey
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There's loads of places within Krakow where you can book it if you want. they'll arrange transport there and back for you and you'll get a guide to take you through. Id recommend doing that.
When I went which was about 7 years ago the hotel we stayed at which was just a bog standard small local hotel in the middle of Krakow offered us the trip when we checked in, it wasn't expensive at all so we booked with them for convenience, there was multiple pick ups throughout krakow on the way so they obviously had this arrangement with plenty of hotels, can't imagine you'll find one not offering it.
minibus took us from the hotel early doors, from recollection its about 90 minutes each way, when we got there we skipped all queues got given our little headphones and our group went straight in with no waiting around. the guide was a local guy fluent in Polish and English who had fantastic knowledge and was really good, wouldnt have been anything like the experinece without him. perhaps they're not all like that but that was my experience. Nothing was rushed nor did we linger we moved from place to place where the guide would give us a talk and then give us some time to wander freely within that section before moving on to the next. Probably had a couple of hours each in both auschwitz and berkenau. By
time we got back it was around tea time so I'd say it's a full day thing.
calumdown
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"the train now standing on platform four,
what will you do when the gas taps turn?
where will you be when the bodies burn?
will you just watch as the cattle trucks roll by?
pretend it isn't happening? turn a blind eye?
see the army convoys quietly passing by?
heard the helicopters in your little bit of sky?
have you seen the squad cars packed with boys in blue?
have you ever wondered what they're there to do?
pictures in the paper of soldiers in the street,
pictures in the history books of rotting human meat.
auschwitz's now a tourist spot for the goggle-eyed to pry,
still in working order just for you and i.
photos of the victims, of gas, of gun, of bomb,
inheritance of violence in the bookshelves of your home.
don't wait for it to come to you, 'cause come it surely will,
the guardians of the state are trained to search, destroy and kill.
there's people sitting at this moment, fingers on the trigger,
there's loyalty and royalty to make their violence figure.
allegiance to the flag, they say, as they lock the prison door,
allegiance to normality, that's what lobotomies are for.
god, queen and country, they say we've got the choice,
free speech for all if you've got no voice.
propaganda on the airwaves, here's the way to live,
not for you and me the alternative.
they look for peace in ireland with a thousand squaddy boys,
torture in their mental homes is another of their ploys.
they'll keep us all in line, by christ, they'll keep us on our toes,
but if we stand against their power, we'll see how violence grows.
read it in the paper about rebellious youth,
but it's them that are so violent, it's them that hide the truth.
stay in line, or pay the cost,
do you think they care when another life's lost?
auschwitz's now a tourist spot for the goggle-eyed to pry,
still in working order just for you and i.
to ashes at auschwitz it's just a small leap,
from coshes at southall, life is cheap.
don't think that they won't do it, 'cause they already do,
but this time 'round
the pawns are meeeeeeeeeeee and youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
what will you do when the gas taps turn?
where will you be when the bodies burn?
will you just watch as the cattle trucks roll by?
pretend it isn't happening? turn a blind eye?
see the army convoys quietly passing by?
heard the helicopters in your little bit of sky?
have you seen the squad cars packed with boys in blue?
have you ever wondered what they're there to do?
pictures in the paper of soldiers in the street,
pictures in the history books of rotting human meat.
auschwitz's now a tourist spot for the goggle-eyed to pry,
still in working order just for you and i.
photos of the victims, of gas, of gun, of bomb,
inheritance of violence in the bookshelves of your home.
don't wait for it to come to you, 'cause come it surely will,
the guardians of the state are trained to search, destroy and kill.
there's people sitting at this moment, fingers on the trigger,
there's loyalty and royalty to make their violence figure.
allegiance to the flag, they say, as they lock the prison door,
allegiance to normality, that's what lobotomies are for.
god, queen and country, they say we've got the choice,
free speech for all if you've got no voice.
propaganda on the airwaves, here's the way to live,
not for you and me the alternative.
they look for peace in ireland with a thousand squaddy boys,
torture in their mental homes is another of their ploys.
they'll keep us all in line, by christ, they'll keep us on our toes,
but if we stand against their power, we'll see how violence grows.
read it in the paper about rebellious youth,
but it's them that are so violent, it's them that hide the truth.
stay in line, or pay the cost,
do you think they care when another life's lost?
auschwitz's now a tourist spot for the goggle-eyed to pry,
still in working order just for you and i.
to ashes at auschwitz it's just a small leap,
from coshes at southall, life is cheap.
don't think that they won't do it, 'cause they already do,
but this time 'round
the pawns are meeeeeeeeeeee and youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
bluevengence
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Zakopane is worth a visit if staying in Krakow.
BlueMoonRisin’
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When I went to Auschwitz I think I spent about 2-3 hours there and that was enough. Walking past the big glass fronted rooms full of exhibits and being in the almost pitch black gas chamber was harrowing. The only light was from a small rectangular opening in the ceiling where they dropped hydrogen cyanide capsules into the room.
I found the whole experience hard to sum up how I felt then and several years later it's still not easy to explain. I felt I was surrounded by negative energy that left me feeling drained and very sad.
If you go to Auschwitz make sure you visit the Wieliczka salt mine near Krakow as it's well worth a visit.
I found the whole experience hard to sum up how I felt then and several years later it's still not easy to explain. I felt I was surrounded by negative energy that left me feeling drained and very sad.
If you go to Auschwitz make sure you visit the Wieliczka salt mine near Krakow as it's well worth a visit.