Day 4

On Friday we boarded our bus early in the morning to take our leave from Germany on our continued journey to Prague. About half-way there we stopped in Terezin. While most of us would have taken a pass on visiting any of the Nazi concentration camps, there was a Camp at Terezin that we visited as part of our Tour. As one might expect, this was an emotional experience witnessing man's inhumanity to man. From a historical point of view it might be important to explain that this camp held a unique purpose for the Nazis. The camp was actually a fortified city serving 7000 Czech citizens since 1780. In 1941 the Czech citizens were turned out and 60,000 Jews were brought in. The propaganda plan for the camp was to use this city as a model "settlement camp" for Jews transferred from Germany and other conquered countries. Here the Jews were allowed to live together in what appeared to be a normal internment camp. The Red Cross was invited by the Gestapo to observe how the Jews were being treated by the Nazis. Even the prison section of the camp had fake bathrooms with sinks and mirrors. However, the visiting committee never attempted to turn on the faucets that were intentionally not connected to anything. It was all for show! Over 155,000 Jews from Terezin died here or in extermination camps. Of the 15,000 children who lived here only 100 survived.
Our tour was strictly a verbal description by our guide of prison conditions while we were ushered through the prison holding cells and punishment rooms. One needed nothing more graphic to be touched deeply by what we saw. While this was the most emotional and most unpleasant part of our 12 day experience we were mindful of how important it is for human beings to revisit these painful events in human history.








The only pictures I have included are pictures of the grave stones of the 35,000 prisoners who died AT THE END OF THE WAR when they were freed by the Russian troops. Almost all of these died of disease and malnutrition AFTER they gained freedom. The burial practice for Jews includes throwing dirt or stones on the body once it has been lowered into the grave. The stones you see in the picture on the gravestone are from friends or family who place the stones there in respect and reverence for the deceased.









Our bus departed in silence while each of us took the opportunity to reflect within ourselves on what we saw and what we heard.