A couple of weeks ago I was in Poland touring different Holocaust sites. The trip took me to the death camps Treblinka, Auschwitz I, and Birkenau. At two of these places, I was greeted by the quiet solemnity that I expected but at Auschwitz I was a bit disturbed by what I saw.
Auschwitz is the archetypal image that most people have of the Holocaust and so is the most visited of all the camps. To most people, Auschwitz is the Holocaust. That’s why I was disappointed to see the “amusement park of evil” atmosphere that it has. Groups of very young schoolchildren run all over the place and clamber over the displays. Groups on bus tours of Poland stop briefly to have a look at a gas chamber and then head off to their next stop (perhaps a vodka tasting?). The death camp is just another point on an itinerary. Tourists (adults!) stroll around and casually pose for smiling pictures as though they were in a park.
I realize that these are people who might otherwise not learn about the Holocaust or genocide, and so any exposure is good. On the other hand, the place they were so casually and disinterestedly taking in is one of the largest cemeteries and sites of mass murder in the world. It should be treated as such, but is not. Clearly, a balance has to be found between mass education and respectful memorialization.
The question is, where is that balance? Is any measure justified in the name of educating the otherwise ignorant masses? Or, should more measures be taken to guard the dignity of places like Auschwitz, even at the expense of education?
Please comment and post your thoughts.
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I went with Chris to Poland, and I've been struggling with this question ever since. In some ways, I wish Auschwitz was more like Treblinka - a quiet memorial. At the same time, Auschwitz's popularity gives it the capacity to educate so many more people. I think someone blogged about the trendiness of Darfur awhile ago. I see similarities between the two issues. Can we get mad at someone who's only wearing a Darfur t-shirt because it's cool? They're still helping to raise awareness. I don't really have an answer, but I guess I can accept that most people don't take such issues seriously, as long as mass information campaigns ensure that a few people learn and truly care.
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