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During WW2 Nazi Germany built concentration camps to house Jews, Romanies , political opponents and anyone else who did not fit in with their twisted idealogy.

Auschwitz in Poland was chosen as the main concentration camp as it was on a main railway junction and people from all over Europe were transported there.

Auschwitz was comprised of three camps, a prison camp, a slave labour camp, and an extermination camp.

On arrival by train people were ordered to form lines and go through a selection process, those who were fit and healthy were spared and sent to the labour camps, the old, weak and vulnerable were sent to the extermination camps where they were murdered and then cremated.

Towards the end of the war and on the 27th January 1945 the Russian red army liberated the camp and many of the soldiers spoke of the unspeakable horrors they found there.

The main building still stands and is now a museum that is a memorial to the people who were murdered there.

Auschwitz

Train whistle blew ending the hellish ride
An eerie silence then a hiss of steam
People in cattle trucks all crammed inside 
It didn't seem real more like a bad dream.

Doors were opened people told to get out
Human beings;  some carrying cases 
"Get into a line" the soldiers would shout
A look of fear etched on people's faces. 

The fit and the strong; they were selected
Families split up to the left or right
Unlucky ones gassed and then cremated 
Powerless they were against Nazi might. 

Some inmates of Auschwitz are still alive
But a million poor souls did not survive.





Written Friday 16th May 2020.

Copyright © Tom Cunningham | Year Posted 2020

evilprisonworld war iisonnet

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Krish Radhakrishna

January 14, 2021 at 8:12 AM

A powerful write Tom! I have lived Auschwitz in my nightmares several times! we cannot go back and set things right! but we can stop future auschwitz!

January 14, 2021 at 10:06 AM

Thank you Krish, a very dark chapter in history, the story must be kept alive, it must never be pushed aside and forgotten. How they could carry out those atrocities against their fellow man beggars belief. Tom

January 12, 2021 at 9:22 AM

Tom, you have an incredible ability to bring history - good and bad - into focus. What a gift! Thank you for bringing to light again this horrific human tragedy. Congratulations on your win! Over Fork Over!

January 12, 2021 at 12:53 PM

Thank you very much Sam, I couldn't believe what I was reading researching this one. How those poor people suffered and and along with the Jews anyone who they saw as an enemy of the reich was murdered in nazi death camps. Over Fork Over. Tom

November 14, 2020 at 6:07 PM

Thank you for writing about this in a time where there are Holocaust deniers, who just open the door for this atrocity to happen again. I visited Bergen Belsen, the camp where Anne Frank and her sister Margot died, and it was depressing.

November 14, 2020 at 7:47 PM

Thank you very much Jennifer, I can never understand why some people could ever deny it ever took place. The evidence is there for all to see. It must have been a very moving experience for you. They said it must never happen again but we saw a similar twisted ideology in the middle east with ISIS, thankfully action was taken against them but sadly for many it was too late. Tom

July 22, 2020 at 4:01 PM

A sad and poignant poem. A reminder of evil and the terrible consequences suffered by millions at the hands of the nazi savages. We need to be constantly reminded of these atrocities and never allow ourselves to become complacent. History can and often does repeat itself. We need to be ever vigilant.

July 22, 2020 at 4:34 PM

Thank you very much W. A., I agree, we should be ever watchful to prevent anything like that ever happening again. Tom

May 28, 2020 at 8:43 PM

Important tribute. Well done, Tom.

May 28, 2020 at 10:01 PM

Thank you Line, we must continue to keep the story alive so that those poor souls who perished in those death camps are never forgotten. Tom

Timothy Mcguire

May 18, 2020 at 8:56 PM

Man was, is and will be barbaric if given the chance. Great write!

May 19, 2020 at 1:21 AM

Thanks Timothy,, you're right, all through time weve seen examples of it, even today in the middle East. Tom

May 18, 2020 at 6:27 PM

Hello Tom … What humans can do to other humans boggles the mind. The Nazis were the worst we are informed, but this behaviour has occurred many times. A really well written and informative poem Tom - thank you - Lindsay

May 19, 2020 at 1:23 AM

Thank you Lindsay, youre right, I, S. I. S in Syria and their so called caliphate. Hope alls well. Tom

Panagiota Romios

May 17, 2020 at 6:07 PM

We forget the hundreds of thousands of Christiians killed each year. As if murder was only then? Hiltler did away with 6 million of not only Jews...but other races and religions. The Jews are stii attacked. Israel is hated. I don't understand hatred of Jews, period nor of Israel. Nations have forgotten. Well written Tom PRxoxo

May 18, 2020 at 12:10 AM

Thanks Panagiota, the civilised nations of this world have the power to stop these atrocities but they seem happy to look the other way saying its not our problem. Unbelievable. Tom

May 17, 2020 at 4:43 PM

Tom you have done a marvelous job at explaining this horrible tragedy. This write brings you closer to an unthinkable reality that took place. Thank you for sharing.

May 17, 2020 at 5:04 PM

Thank you Michael, It was horrific for those poor souls who were sent there, those that survived still live with the horrors they saw. How people could inflict that on others beggars belief. Tom

May 17, 2020 at 1:30 PM

A very necessary piece of history to remember, it was harrowing and inexcusable. It should never happen again. Well penned truths. It must never be forgotten.

May 17, 2020 at 1:36 PM

Thank you M. L. My original idea was to write a lengthy poem as I like writing historical poems, but reading about it was quite upsetting, I couldn't believe some of the things that went on there. That said the story of Auschwitz must be told over and over so that people never forget. Hope you're well. Tom

May 16, 2020 at 11:14 PM

Thank you for calling out evil, Tom. A few of those cremated were my relatives. Peace and Hope, Gershon

May 17, 2020 at 6:59 AM

Thank you Gershon, this horrific story should never be buried in the archives of history. We must pass it on to generations to come so that those poor souls are never forgotten and remind everyone how evil man can be. Tom

Suzanne Delaney

May 16, 2020 at 8:07 PM

What is the saying, Tom? All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." Well written and insightful poem, SuZ

May 16, 2020 at 9:12 PM

Thanks Suzanne, that saying is so true, something we see time and time again. Hope you're well Tom

May 16, 2020 at 2:40 PM

a powerful poem, tom - you've described this so well! it's vital that people do not forget that this happened. i volunteer in a holocaust museum in new york and we currently have a fantastic exhibit on auschwitz, on loan from the museum at the actual site. of course, it's closed now due to the virus, but i hope that we can reopen so that more people have a chance to learn about it...

May 16, 2020 at 3:30 PM

Thank you Ilene, you're right, it's so important to pass this story on to each generation, there is nothing to excuse it, it was pure evil by a twisted regime. It's just a shame that the rest of the world didn't act against it sooner to prevent those evildoers carrying out those atrocities against their fellow man. Tom

May 16, 2020 at 9:48 AM

You have a way of telling a story...I really like...

May 16, 2020 at 1:43 PM

Thank you very much Arturo. This story should always be kept alive, we must never forget those who died at the hands of the evil nazi regime. Tom

May 16, 2020 at 8:33 AM

What a sad chapter it was in our recent history..for long many nations just ignored the problem, as not their own, until it was too late. I wonder if the world has learned how dictators manipulate so cleverly. Your poem is potent Tom--you give voice to so many who suffered needlessly.

May 16, 2020 at 1:37 PM

Thank you Vijay, I can never understand how man can behave that way towards his fellow man. But we should remain vigilant because there are many out there with depraved ideas and beliefs. Tom

May 16, 2020 at 8:18 AM

Tom, the title alone sent a shiver down my spine, we must never forget the atrocities that went on in these camps, when I worked at school I heard a talk by 'Hector Duff' he was there when Bergen Belsen was repatriated and his words 'I saw things no man should ever see' will never leave my mind. He's just celebrated his 100th birthday - a remarkable manx hero! hugs Jan xx

May 16, 2020 at 1:34 PM

Thanks Jan, researching this made grim reading, I can't imagine the unimaginable horrors they found at these camps. How they could treat their fellow human beings that way I can't understand, they said it must never happen again but only recently it DID, in the middle East at the hands of ISIS. Another group with twisted beliefs. Tom

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