Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration & Extermination Camp

A full day trip to the infamous symbol of the Holocaust, KL Auschwitz – Birkenau, the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp. A visit at this darksome place is emotionally exhausting but every history enthusiast must see this place.

When in 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland, they started mass persecution and arrestment of Poles and Jews. The constantly growing number of prisoners forced Germans to build a large concentration camp. They decided to build it in the suburbs of Oświęcim and adapt the pre-war barracks that were there. The first transport of prisoners reached KL Auschwitz in June, 1940. Due to the extermination of Jews planned by the Nazis, in 1942 a much larger facility was built near Auschwitz. It was Birkenau extermination camp. In three years Germans murdered over a million people there and 90% of them were Jews.

Not only people were murdered there but they were also dying because of the terrible living conditions. Prisoners had to deal with cold, hunger, lice, lack of sanitary facilities and, above all, exhausting physical work. That is why all new transports were initially selected by the SS officers. The weakest were sent straight to the gas chambers. Cruel and brutal guards were punishing people for every violation, even the smallest one. Children born in the camp were immediately killed, and the older ones had to live in the same bad conditions as adults. On the day of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, only few hundred of children were found there even if initially several hundred thousand lived in the camp. The situation was even worse in a nearby Birkenau. There was no way to leave Birkenau if not by being killed in the gas chambers. That’s why only few survived. When you visit this place and you see this it’s even harder to understand how it is possible that people prepared such kind of fate for other people.

The trip begins in the lobby of your hotel, where you will be picked up by a professional guide with whom you will go to Auschwitz. During the journey, the guide will introduce you to the history of Polish Jews and the realities of World War II in our lands. It is also a chance to admire the beautiful landscape outside the window. Upon arrival, we will visit both camps: Auschwitz and Birkenau. The tour will take about four hours. At the camp, the tour will be led by a guide from the local museum. Then we will have lunch in a nearby town. If you have any additional questions, the guide will gladly answer them on the way back. We'll bring you back to your hotel late in the evening.