Three Polish Perspectives

Yes....I'm still on leave! 

After a very comfortable night on the sleeper train from Prague, I arrived in Krakow at 0730hrs and walked to the hostel to dump my bags. The atmosphere of the town immediately hits you with a medieval charm accentuated by the cold mist that clung to the cobbled streets and wooden stalls selling bread (Chleb).

I spent the first day walking around and exploring the area. I climbed up the largest mount in Krakow where I looked out over a city that was still beautifully bathed in a sea of mist. I spent 2 hours walking around Schindler's Factory museum where I learnt all about the history of Polish Jews from their entry into Poland up until present day. It is horrific to see what the Nazi's inflicted on Polish Jews during the occupation but awe inspiring to see human perseverance and ingenuity in the face of such hardship. The next day I spent a lot of time exploring the Jewish quarter with my new found understanding of Jewish history and I was pleased to find a wealth of information about Judaism in the Old Synagogue that is now a museum. 

I couldn't help but spend some time in the museum of technology on my way to dinner and I spent half an hour pressing all the buttons in the children's area before going to see one of the first motorbikes produced from purely Polish parts.

The story of the old market square in Krakow is an interesting one too. The river Wisla used to flow around the old town, but a change in course means that the town is now surrounded by a band of garden called the Planty (which is a very pleasant little morning run!) The Wawal Castle sits at the southern end of the town by the rivers new course and is a beautiful example of well preserved Medieval architecture.

Krakow

 

Every hour a trumpet sounds but is stopped before the end of the fanfare. This reminds the town of when a trumpet player stood on the northern tower in the town square and sounded to warn the people of an attach. An enemy sniper saw him and shot the musician in the throat with an arrow so he never finished the call. The pre-warning was enough to allow the town people to prepare for battle and the town was saved by a loan trumpeter.

I spent one day visiting Auschwitz and Birkenau where I joined a tour and was herded through the camp learning all about the horrendous conditions that the prisoners had to live in. Even now, covered with tourists, the atmosphere is oppressive and people walk around quietly, most (like myself) lost in complete reverence. I broke off from the group and walked around he remains of gas chamber number 3. (The SS demolished the gas chambers to destroy the evidence of the atrocities that they committed which is why only remains can be seen now). It was so humbling to see the site where so many innocent people were killed in cold blood and I was particularly shocked to hear how the deaths were carried out. If you don't want to read this, then skip to the next paragraph: The Jews were taken off the train and told that they needed to take a shower before they would be shown to their accommodation. The men and women were separated and they were taken to the first room where they would take off their clothes and hang them up ready for their shower. They were then walked into the main chamber where there were fake shower heads (so that the first people inside did not realise something was wrong and start a panic). As the chamber slowly filled up with people, some of them began to realise that something was wrong, but by now it was too late and anyone who tried to get out or who refused to go in, was pushed inside by force. The big doors were shut and the gas agent was put in through holes in the roof. Depending on the temperature, it could take up to 20 minutes for them to die.

The end of the line in Aushwitz

It was a cold day when I visited, but there was definitely a different kind of chill in the air as I walked around the remains of the gas chamber and thought about the poor souls who died and the Jews who were forced to herd their own people into the Chamber. I recited the Lord's Prayer over and over again as I walked around, but it didn't feel like enough to account for the evil actions that occurred there. 

 

The next day I was asked to take a free tour into the Wieliczka Salt Mine. I had wanted to go to the salt mine anyway, so it was a bonus that it was free! It was incredible to see the conditions that the miners worked in and the amazing caverns that they excavated and decorated with salt carvings. The most impressive of these caverns is used today as a concert hall and chapel for weddings and formal events. 

135m underground in the Wieliczka salt mine

 I enjoyed a 20 mile training run along the river before jumping on a long train ride to Warsaw the next day. The two cities couldn't be any more different. Coming out of Warsaw central train station you are immediately in the heart of the city and (like all cities around the world) this means being surrounded by sky scrapers, franchise cafes and traffic. I was very lucky to be met by a friend who is born and bred Warsaw and showed me round the city pointing out areas and explaining their historical or political significance. A visit to the insurgence museum solidified my basic understanding of the history of Poland with respect to the German and Soviet occupation during the second world war. This museum is a 20 minute walk out from the centre of the city and well worth the admission fee. It includes a wealth of information that is difficult to process in a single visit and certainly changed my understanding of British involvement in Polish history. 

 

When I was at school I remember Poland being one of the European countries that kept moving in the European map and therefore became a “nuisance” country as I had to memorise its shifting borders for different history exams. However, my visit has allowed me to form a better historical understanding to these “shifting borders” and has left me with a deep sense of respect for Polish culture and heritage. 

 

On the last morning my friend took me to the Copernicus museum and humoured my idiosyncrasies as I ran around pressing all the buttons and turning all the wheels. Another long train ride brought me to my final destination in Poland: The Tricity area of Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. 

 

Gdansk is another beautiful medieval town that is much smaller than Krakow but has its own charm and atmosphere. It is inextricably linked to the river through a long history as a port town and ship building hub. It is a great place to get lost in museums, art and churches and it boasts the largest brick Gothic building in the world; St. Mary's Church.

Sopot has a beautiful coast line with a long sandy beach and the longest wooden promenade in the world. It sits in between Gdansk and Gdynia and has a wonderfully laid back atmosphere with lots of lovely cafes along the beach front. 

 

Gdynia has a rich maritime heritage and the port area is still active in training seafarers. It houses a number of training ships used by the maritime University including the tall ship SV Dar Mlodziezy that has been a true ambassador for Poland in her numerous round the world trips. There is definitely something special about this area of Poland and the locals are all extremely friendly and passionate about Gdynia and its heritage. Check out THIS to see some beautiful pictures (that put my “point and press” efforts to shame). They are taken from Gdynia showing the sun rising over the Baltic Sea in the crisp light of the winter morning. Poland is fast becoming my favourite country- I will be back here soon I hope... 

 

But, for now, I move on. The constant wanderer...