Once the visit was over there was plenty of time for personal reflection back in the UK. Like many others, I am sure, I was left with so many unanswered questions.

Why did it happen? How did it happen? Why did no-one do anything to prevent it? It is my belief that no-one really knew the sheer scale of what was happening until it was simply too late.

The small pond by the little wood at Birkenau that became the resting place for thousands of people's ashes
The small pond by the little wood at Birkenau that became the resting place for thousands of people’s ashes

I was shocked at the industrial scale of the two sites, but especially Birkenau. The fact that a large sewage plant was constructed meant considerable thought and engineering skills had gone into the planning and building phase. Did those engineers know what they were creating and the destruction that lay ahead?

The small pond into which tens of thousands of people, who had been gassed and cremated were dumped is still vivid in my mind. But the serenity that surrounded the pond was memorable.

So I am left with more questions than answers. But I have an overwhelming sense of relief that I went and saw Auschwitz. In my view, everyone should visit the place and see for themselves. Only by doing that can one begin to get an understanding of what actually took place and why it should never be allowed to happen again. Sadly it is happening again!