A Somber Tour at Terezin
Thursday July 13, 2006
We had a very productive rehearsal with Dr. Walders again today, practicing for over three hours. The sound produced by the group is very professional, like we have been doing this together for years, rather than meeting each other a day before. Since everyone in the group has sung Carmina before within their own hometowns, there is little to stumble over in the piece. We are just fine tuning the music and preparing for what the Maestro will expect for us tomorrow when we meet. For me, rehearsals are very enjoyable. I really love the give and take between a conductor and group and hearing the progress. It is no different here.
After lunch, we prepared to leave for our afternoon group tour to a small but historically very important city northwest of Prague – Terezin. The massive strongholds were founded in 1780 by Emperor Joseph II and named after his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. In 1940, the Nazi Gestapo established a prison in the Lesser Fortress and the Main Fortress was turned into a transit concentration camp and Jewish ghetto. Some 150,000 European Jews eventually passed through this concentration camp en route to extermination camps, and thousands perished here.
Entering the property, three things hit your eye, 1) A Christian cross with a circle of barbed wire in the middle, 2) a large Star of David and 3) 601 white stone graves graced with flaming red flowers. (I WILL POST PHOTOS WHEN I RETURN…SO SORRY!)
We walked down a shaded path to the entrance of Terezin and were met with our guide for the day, Eva. It became apparent soon after she began the tour how good she was at her job, and also, how passionate she was at educating the people that came to this place.
Let me just say before I get started about the tour that while we have been in Prague, it has been unusually warm, there has been no air conditioning, not enough ice, no washcloths, despite it being a very lovely and modernized city. And we, used to our many creature comforts at home, have dealt with these issues, with some complaint I will admit, but understanding that this is just the way it is in this area. After our tour of Terezin however, I have not complained at all about the things that I don’t have…and you will soon understand why.
We stood in a small courtyard, the place where people, when brought to Terezin, were registered, given a number, removed of their clothing and personal belongings, and issued new clothing, which were old Czech uniforms from WWI with colored stars to differentiate the groups they were in. We, like them, walked to the end of the yard to go under an archway with the words ARBEIT MACHT FREI (Work Makes you FREE).
We entered a larger courtyard, which housed solitary cellblocks. These were extremely small, and prisoners where put in there often naked, with no bed, blanket, heat, or toilet. Some cells had a barred window up high, while some did not. Many people died while being held in these rooms.
Next we went into a living area where bunk-beds three levels high went along one wall, while small cubbie-like sections flanked the other. Through the middle of the room ran one long picnic type table. At the end of the room stood one sink, and there was one water closet for a bathroom. We had 53 people in our group and it was a little crowded, though we could still move around. Eva informed us that over 100 people would be kept in here, which was a medium sized room. We saw a larger room that would hold 700 people! They would lay on the bed frames side-by-side, with no mattress or blanket, no heat. This is where they would sleep and eat after 12-hour workdays. When they did eat it would be water and a very small amount of food. After being there for six months, their rations were cut in half. Though Terezin was not an extermination camp with gas chambers, many people died here due to torture, malnutrition and poor hygiene.
We went into a holding room that was stone and just one high window. We all stood inside, our 53, and were cramped. We were horrified that 70 people would be put in here…there was just no way to imagine adding more people to the room we were in! We saw the room where they would be stripped of their clothing for delousing (which they did by using a big steam machine), then they would enter a large shower area for a two minute cold shower with as many as 10 to a showerhead. They would then receive their wet clothes and return to their rooms, where in the winter gets well below freezing.
We saw a bathroom with sinks and mirrors flanking the sides. But this was never used, as it was done to make others think the people were being taken care of during schedules Red Cross visits.
Because Terezin is originally a fortress, it has an amazing network of tunnels, both underground and within the walls. It was to be used for escape if needed by the founding Emperor. It was never used however. We were able to take about a four-minute walk in this narrow arched tunnel and, at times going underground where the change in temperature could be felt. Small openings appeared in the tunnel at times, made for ventilation and air-conditioning by the Emperor. It was very cool, and a tad spooky. Many areas of the tunnel blocked by gates and it felt like the kind of place that would have been perfect for Halloween, as we almost expected some one or some thing to jump out at us!
When we emerged from the tunnel, we came to a small sheltered spot, where soldiers would carry out some rifle executions, such as in 1945 when they ended the lives of 51 people in an hour. Only two members of our tour group would have survived had that happened today. It was things like this that really made many of us emotional during the trip.
Even after Liberation in May of 1945, may people at Terezin died due to a Typhoid epidemic, which caused the entire town and camp to be quarantined. Because there was little medical care in the camp, by the time Red Cross took over, it was too late to help many of the newly liberated prisoners.
Some did survive and their memories in the forms of drawings, music, and stories are educating those who visit in the Museum located on the grounds. Also around the camp are a few sculptures made by surviving prisoners, donated to Terezin.
Today, I took a tour with a group of people of many different ages, ethnic and religious backgrounds; our obvious connection was that of music. But we left, connected by this somber experience. I took many photos to bring home, but I am also taking with me the haunting images I have seen, and an ache in my heart for those who had to suffer as they did.
While we are all crammed into the small room meant for 70 people, a small barn swallow flew over our heads. It was surprising because there was only one small barred window and we did not see it come in. However, when I looked up, there, on top of piece of wire caging, was a small nest and four babies craning their necks out for their mother’s return. For some reason, that image sticks with me as one of the most profound of my visit. Life goes on, and on the wings of our young are our hopes and dreams. May they fly strong and free.
Renee
We had a very productive rehearsal with Dr. Walders again today, practicing for over three hours. The sound produced by the group is very professional, like we have been doing this together for years, rather than meeting each other a day before. Since everyone in the group has sung Carmina before within their own hometowns, there is little to stumble over in the piece. We are just fine tuning the music and preparing for what the Maestro will expect for us tomorrow when we meet. For me, rehearsals are very enjoyable. I really love the give and take between a conductor and group and hearing the progress. It is no different here.
After lunch, we prepared to leave for our afternoon group tour to a small but historically very important city northwest of Prague – Terezin. The massive strongholds were founded in 1780 by Emperor Joseph II and named after his mother, Empress Maria Theresa. In 1940, the Nazi Gestapo established a prison in the Lesser Fortress and the Main Fortress was turned into a transit concentration camp and Jewish ghetto. Some 150,000 European Jews eventually passed through this concentration camp en route to extermination camps, and thousands perished here.
Entering the property, three things hit your eye, 1) A Christian cross with a circle of barbed wire in the middle, 2) a large Star of David and 3) 601 white stone graves graced with flaming red flowers. (I WILL POST PHOTOS WHEN I RETURN…SO SORRY!)
We walked down a shaded path to the entrance of Terezin and were met with our guide for the day, Eva. It became apparent soon after she began the tour how good she was at her job, and also, how passionate she was at educating the people that came to this place.
Let me just say before I get started about the tour that while we have been in Prague, it has been unusually warm, there has been no air conditioning, not enough ice, no washcloths, despite it being a very lovely and modernized city. And we, used to our many creature comforts at home, have dealt with these issues, with some complaint I will admit, but understanding that this is just the way it is in this area. After our tour of Terezin however, I have not complained at all about the things that I don’t have…and you will soon understand why.We stood in a small courtyard, the place where people, when brought to Terezin, were registered, given a number, removed of their clothing and personal belongings, and issued new clothing, which were old Czech uniforms from WWI with colored stars to differentiate the groups they were in. We, like them, walked to the end of the yard to go under an archway with the words ARBEIT MACHT FREI (Work Makes you FREE).
We entered a larger courtyard, which housed solitary cellblocks. These were extremely small, and prisoners where put in there often naked, with no bed, blanket, heat, or toilet. Some cells had a barred window up high, while some did not. Many people died while being held in these rooms.
Next we went into a living area where bunk-beds three levels high went along one wall, while small cubbie-like sections flanked the other. Through the middle of the room ran one long picnic type table. At the end of the room stood one sink, and there was one water closet for a bathroom. We had 53 people in our group and it was a little crowded, though we could still move around. Eva informed us that over 100 people would be kept in here, which was a medium sized room. We saw a larger room that would hold 700 people! They would lay on the bed frames side-by-side, with no mattress or blanket, no heat. This is where they would sleep and eat after 12-hour workdays. When they did eat it would be water and a very small amount of food. After being there for six months, their rations were cut in half. Though Terezin was not an extermination camp with gas chambers, many people died here due to torture, malnutrition and poor hygiene.
We went into a holding room that was stone and just one high window. We all stood inside, our 53, and were cramped. We were horrified that 70 people would be put in here…there was just no way to imagine adding more people to the room we were in! We saw the room where they would be stripped of their clothing for delousing (which they did by using a big steam machine), then they would enter a large shower area for a two minute cold shower with as many as 10 to a showerhead. They would then receive their wet clothes and return to their rooms, where in the winter gets well below freezing.
We saw a bathroom with sinks and mirrors flanking the sides. But this was never used, as it was done to make others think the people were being taken care of during schedules Red Cross visits.
Because Terezin is originally a fortress, it has an amazing network of tunnels, both underground and within the walls. It was to be used for escape if needed by the founding Emperor. It was never used however. We were able to take about a four-minute walk in this narrow arched tunnel and, at times going underground where the change in temperature could be felt. Small openings appeared in the tunnel at times, made for ventilation and air-conditioning by the Emperor. It was very cool, and a tad spooky. Many areas of the tunnel blocked by gates and it felt like the kind of place that would have been perfect for Halloween, as we almost expected some one or some thing to jump out at us!
When we emerged from the tunnel, we came to a small sheltered spot, where soldiers would carry out some rifle executions, such as in 1945 when they ended the lives of 51 people in an hour. Only two members of our tour group would have survived had that happened today. It was things like this that really made many of us emotional during the trip.
Even after Liberation in May of 1945, may people at Terezin died due to a Typhoid epidemic, which caused the entire town and camp to be quarantined. Because there was little medical care in the camp, by the time Red Cross took over, it was too late to help many of the newly liberated prisoners.
Some did survive and their memories in the forms of drawings, music, and stories are educating those who visit in the Museum located on the grounds. Also around the camp are a few sculptures made by surviving prisoners, donated to Terezin.
Today, I took a tour with a group of people of many different ages, ethnic and religious backgrounds; our obvious connection was that of music. But we left, connected by this somber experience. I took many photos to bring home, but I am also taking with me the haunting images I have seen, and an ache in my heart for those who had to suffer as they did.
While we are all crammed into the small room meant for 70 people, a small barn swallow flew over our heads. It was surprising because there was only one small barred window and we did not see it come in. However, when I looked up, there, on top of piece of wire caging, was a small nest and four babies craning their necks out for their mother’s return. For some reason, that image sticks with me as one of the most profound of my visit. Life goes on, and on the wings of our young are our hopes and dreams. May they fly strong and free.
Renee
posted by Renee @ 7/21/2006 05:52:00 PM
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