I travelled to Poland a decade ago, with a friend who was also teaching English in Spain at the time. I had never been to Eastern Europe before, and I was certainly looking to broaden my horizons, expand my comfort zone within the safety and stability of the EU. In those days, I viewed the EU as somewhat akin to a safety blanket… different culture and language, yet still familiar. I’m afraid I’ve never really moved past that feeling, rarely traversing the EU borders within the European continent.
We decided to visit Krakow and then Warsaw during Easter week. I loved Poland, but the dark past of 20th century conflicts loomed over us, reminding us how fortunate we were in the time and place of our own birth.
Old World Charm
I can’t pretend after a decade has passed that I have a perfect memory of our trip to Poland. Yet, there is a feeling that remains. For someone who grew up in North America, there is an undeniable charm exuded by the cities of Europe, especially those that have preserved their buildings and not allowed modernity to encroach on the classic historic centres. Krakow is one of these cities. The old remains, and the new is banished, out of sight and mind. Krakow at Easter time is a bustle of tourists gaping at their surroundings, and locals picking up Easter necessities from the vendors who have set up right in the town square to sell their colourful “palms”.
The square is alive, not only with shoppers, but with diners as well, enjoying the myriad products available at the food stands. We ate sauerkraut and mushroom perogies, a fantastic discovery for our palates, on our first day in Krakow. For more on perogies and other Polish specialties, check out my Poland at Home post. Krakow had a plethora of perogy specialists, with endless varieties of these Eastern European dumplings. The other dish I ate repeatedly was duck, which was much less expensive in Poland than in Spain.
The old town presents its share of wonderful old buildings, yet one stands out for me above all the others. The outside of the building is deceiving, having the appearance of yet another church in a land full of churches. Not another church, every tourist has thought at one point or another in Europe. Once inside St Francis’ Basilica you may be delightfully surprised or appalled by the decor. The 13th century church was updated in the late 19th century with floral art nouveau murals and stained glass by Stanisław Wyspiański. Sadly, my photos don’t do justice to his work, but he incorporated violets, geraniums, roses, and other elements of nature into his design. Though controversial at the time, to be fair the inside of the church had been damaged by fire. In my opinion, he gave this place new life.
Wawel Castle is another main attraction. The grounds are stately and the buildings eclectic, having been constructed at different periods. In fact, this UNESCO World Heritage site boasts European architectural styles from the medieval, renaissance, and baroque periods. Built originally for King Casimir III, the castle offers views over the Vistula River. In contrast to St. Francis’ Basilica, here I remember the exterior far better than the inside.
The Holocaust
Most European countries have few tangible reminders of the horrors of WWII. Poland, however, found itself at the heart of Nazi plans to exterminate the Jews. There is no escaping the past in Krakow, however much we may wish to bury our heads in the sand. The Holocaust was not so long ago.
Auschwitz/Birkenau
History has made us very familiar with the names of two of the most well-known concentration camps. At the time I visited Poland, I felt it was some sort of moral duty to go to Auschwitz, that somehow a physical confrontation with the past was necessary to keep the memory of those lost in the concentration camps alive. Never to forget in order that future generations would not repeat the past. I’m not sure I feel this way anymore, seeing how Auschwitz and Birkenau have become essentially tourist attractions, and fodder for social media – an image accompanied by a falsely profound thought about the tragedy that occurred. Perhaps we are drawn to visit concentration camps out of a perverse and morbid curiosity, our need to be shocked by death and genocide. A need to feel we would never have participated or looked the other way. What entitles us to post photos of these death camps to Instagram, known for its superficial aesthetics? My article is not meant to be a lecture, but an opportunity to question the motivation behind what we post on social media.
I personally made a conscious decision not to photograph inside the barbed wire fence. I may not be right in this decision; I’m sure it could be argued otherwise, but it simply felt wrong to take pictures. I am not an educator, journalist, or documentarist, and Auschwitz is not a tourist attraction. I assure you that no one will not forget what is seen within.
At Auschwitz, visitors wear headsets and are given a guided tour. I remember having a sort of empty feeling of disbelief as we passed glass case after glass case. Hair, shoes, suitcases. I expected to feel emotional, and yet somehow, despite my horror, there was nothing. It wasn’t like watching a film, there were no people, just objects. I kept waiting for it, the tears, some sign that I was human, that I was different from the Nazis who had committed these crimes against humanity. It wasn’t the hair, shaved from terrified people’s heads (we’ve all seen the videos), that broke through. At least not for me. It was the suitcases. Each suitcase bore the name of the owner, and I was reminded that these people, taken from their homes, believed they might go back again one day. That this was temporary. That they would survive…
Birkenau, much larger than Auschwitz, was a different experience. We were left to wander alone, to walk along the tracks where people arrived in cramped cattle cars. How many times have we seen those tracks in films? They are the ultimate representation of the evils of which humans are capable. I visited Birkenau in the days prior to the invention of Instagram. It was deathly silent, then. Now, looking at some of the more than 455k photographs bearing #auschwitz, seeing people posing on the tracks in perfectly false postures of contemplation, or worse, complete disrespect, I wonder if we should be allowed to tread on the same ground as so many innocent victims if we have become so apathetic to the suffering of others.
Schindler's Factory and the Ghetto Walls
Back in Krakow, the memories of the Holocaust are less jarring than at Auschwitz/Birkenau, but they are ever present. Remnants of the walls that separated the Jewish Ghetto from the rest of the city have been restored, as a memorial to those who lived and died within its walls.
In 1993, Schindler became a household name in North America, because of Hollywood’s dramatization of Oskar Schindler’s role in saving the lives of 1,200 Jews working at his enamelware factory. A Nazi war profiteer, Schindler hired cheap Jewish labour, but in a change of heart, in so far as possible, he protected the work force against deportation to concentration camps. The Schindler factory is now a historical museum.
Jewish Heritage
On a brighter note, Krakow offers lots of opportunities to celebrate Jewish culture. Some synagogues are open to visitors, there are Jewish restaurants and the chance to experience musical traditions first-hand with Klezmer concerts (designed for tourists of course, but still a great option for visitors). Klezmer is a traditional Jewish folk music of Eastern Europe.
My friend and I attended a concert at a restaurant. The decor was antique, and the ambiance cozy and dark, lit by candlelight. The musicians were fantastic. I had expected worse and less professional from a show meant for tourists, but we were impressed. The singer, a blonde woman dressed in masculine, black clothing, surprised us with a deep, throaty voice, so unexpected, but so wonderful. And, of course, I was very happy to have a giant piece of duck on my plate.
Wieliczka Salt Mine
The Wieliczka Salt Mine is located just outside Krakow, and as another UNESCO World Heritage site, it is one of the city’s biggest attractions. The mine was originally developed in the 13th century and produced salt for consumption until 2007. However, the mine, open now for visitors, is not your ordinary mine.
The mine reaches 327 m into the earth, and contains four chapels, a lake, sculptures carved by miners and artists, and even a dragon. Some cavernous rooms are lit by chandelier. You can even get married in the mine at one of the chapels, and they have concerts here from time to time. I can’t quite remember the rules, though: were we supposed to lick the walls, or not lick the walls?
Shopping in Krakow
There’s plenty to attract the attention of tourists in Krakow, especially at Easter when there is a market set up especially for the holiday. Vibrant Easter eggs are certainly a crowd-pleaser. Yet, what dominates the stalls is amber. Amber jewelry and decor are abundant, with every natural colour available, translucent or opaque. Primarily set into sterling silver, the prices are affordable, giving everyone ample opportunity to take some home as a souvenir. Not one to resist temptation, I purchased earrings and a bracelet. Easy enough to tuck into my hand luggage!
Krakow is a stunning city, ready to welcome you, but the city has a dark past, omnipresent for everyone willing to look. I’m not the authority on behaviour at sites of genocide, but visiting Krakow made me question the ways in which we visit concentration camps and our presence in these locations. I don’t have the answers to the questions of social media and the appropriateness of sharing photographs where so many human lives were lost. However, we have no choice but to ask ourselves these questions as we take but a moment out of our comfortable lives to confront the past.
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