Sobering sites

For the most part, I have written this blog for entertainment.  I love the history of Europe and did not know much about Eastern Europe and what the people there have been through.  So I will share a few observations and then will probably write one or two more posts with highlights and food.  My attempt here is to be respectful to the history of the countries we visited.  When I talked to a German guide about how she felt about what happened in Germany, she said "I was not part of it."  I told her I was from the South so we also have a shameful past.

TEREZIN
We took a half day trip while in Prague to Terezin which is about an hour from Prague.  This structure was originally built in the 1780's as a fortification.  It was built to keep the Germans out but later used by the Germans to keep the Jews in.  In 1941, the Nazis removed everyone from the village and brought 60,000 Jews which created a concentration camp.

This was the Nazi's model "Jewish town" for propaganda purposes.  To outsiders it appeared to be self-governed with concerts, operas and plays.  The intent was to convince the Red Cross inspectors that the Jews were being treated well.  We even saw the propaganda film that was shown. Ultimately almost all of the Jews who came to Terezin were exterminated.

As we saw numerous times, the Nazi's went to great lengths to put on a facade that what they were doing what was right.  Our guide told us that the children were trained that when there was a visitor, they were to run up to the commandant and say, "Uncle, can you play with me.?"  The typical reply was, "Not today, maybe tomorrow."  One thing that rose some suspicion was the observation that the toys that were brought out on those days were new and did not appear to be played with.

What struck me when we entered the front of Terezin, was the cross.  I really expected to see the Star of David.  You can see it in the left hand side of the picture.

The Star of David is made out of railroad tracks that  led directly into the concentration camp.  Red roses are at each grave in remembrance of the blood that was shed.  Stones we are placed on the graves in keeping with the Jewish tradition.

Around the fortress, there is a dry moat where the starving Jews were required to grow plots of vegetables for the well-fed SS officers.  There was a washroom built solely for the purpose of fooling the Red Cross inspectors.  The sinks were not even hooked up to water.  There were heaters in some of the barracks; however, these were not used for anything but show.   With all of this evidence of what the Nazis did, remember the message: "Never again."

NUREMBURG

The ghosts of the Nazi monsters can be felt in Nuremberg.  This was the "most German" of cities for Hitler and he built it to demonstrate his emperor-like power and god-like status.  It is now the crumbled remains and pathetic leftovers of a regime that the psychopathic leader claimed would last for 1000 years.  

We all have images of Hitler and millions of Nazi Party supporters gathered for mass rallies where they would salute Hitler and he would deliver his fanatical speeches as he prepared Germany for war.  Our German guide said that she has studied those speeches and and about half of what he shouted made no sense.  

When you are standing on the parade grounds, you can turn around and see a massive structure that looks like the colosseum in Rome.  Hitler wanted to build one greater than Rome.  The interesting fact is that it is only a facade and was never used for anything but storage.  Part of the structure is now used as a museum.  After visiting Terezin and then Hitler's "showplace", I could not help but think about how much energy he wasted with the extermination camps and "putting on shows" to elevate himself in people's minds.

As you can see, the swatztika is not on the top of the building.  The Russians blew it up.

Nuremburg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals held by Allied forces to prosecute prominent members of the Nazi party who participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes.  Nuremberg was selected as the city for the trials since this was Hitler's chosen place of leadership and the ceremonial birthplace of the Nazi party.  It also had a prison attached to the courthouse which made security easier.  In the picture below, the room with the  top four windows were where the trial was held.

I ran across a fact that interested me as a psychologist.  They administered the Rorschach test and an IQ test to the defendants in the trial.  The IQ's ranged from 113-143 with most of them over 120.  (An IQ of 100 is average so most of these are well above average and would be considered in the gifted range).  I found this chilling.

Our guide told us that Germany now has an Auschwitz Law which punishes any German for denying that the Holocaust happened.  While we were at the concentration camp, there was a group of German students visiting also.  I asked her about her parents experience during the war.  She said her father was in the military and never said a word about the war.  Her mother was living in a remote place in Poland and was unaware of any of the atrocities.  When her daughter was grown (our guide), she told her mother what happened. 

Atheism in the Czech Republic

Our guide in Cesky Krumlov told us that there were 65-70% of the Czech population were atheist.  He said he was an atheist as did all of our guides in this country.  I was shocked at the statistics but after their explanations and a little research I understand it a little better.  In 1948 the majority of the country was religious, primarily Roman Catholics.  The Communist government immediately repressed religion using brutal techniques. People born after 1950 were likely never to have been given a religious upbringing because it would have been too risky.

I hope you don't mind that I got a little historical here.  One of the reasons that I am passionate about travel is to learn about history, cultures and people.  It's not always about drinking beer and eating fattening food!