May 3 2012 Auschwitz

We took a tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau today.  The tour began on the bus, with a movie that I had never seen before.  It was a Soviet movie made by the Soviet liberators of the camps.  The movie was very moving in showing and explaining all about the liberation.
It made me very emotional, especially as the bus road parallel to old railroad tracks.

The tour inside Auschwitz and Birkenau were excellent.  Our tour guide was  very knowledgeable and thorough.  I realized how obsessive the Nazi's became with making Birkenau and efficient death camp, in fact, it seems they became so concerned about the efficiency that it almost became the goal in itself.

Near the end of the tour, I started to read the "Sh'ma", one of the most popular Jewish praises, which basically praises God and begins most other prayers.  I read it in Hebrew, then started saying it in English, and I just stopped.  I could not continue.

No more to say.
Pat