MellemPix

Theresienstadt, also known as the Terezín concentration camp, was a concentration camp established by the SS during World War II in the garrison city of Terezín, located in German-occupied Czechoslovaki, now Czech Republic. This was my second visit to a Nazi concentration camp and the somber, disturbed feeling I felt whilst listening to the morbid narrations of the tour guide is exactly the same as the previous concentration camp tour I took in Germany.

The town sits in a state of despondence and the feeling emanates through the buildings and lack of people seen on the streets. To quote a cliche, it felt like a ghost-town on certain streets. With the weather mirroring the bleak surroundings, the feeling of melancholia undoubtedly crept into my day.

Although Terezínwas not an extermination camp, about 33,000 died on the grounds. This was mostly due to the appalling conditions arising out of extreme population density, malnutrition and disease.

Below are photos taken just before the entrance into the concentration camp.

And as you move past the entrance after purchasing your entrance tickets, this is what welcomes you.

Below are photos taken around the interior of the concentration camp.

The infamous words

The courtyard

Bunkers for the prisoners

Heater against the wall

Shower area

Tunnels that lead deep into the mountain

At the doorway of one of the tunnels

They broke off the rock ledge as prisoners were trying to escape by hopping across and walking down it, desperately hoping for freedom

This was a fake washroom built to dupe the WHO. There was NO running water.

After the tour, we headed to the town across the bridge, a short walk away.

Here are photos of our visit to Památník Terezín – Muzeum ghetta in the middle of town. It houses a beautiful stairwell adorned with drawings by prisoners of the concentration camp.

In the indoor theatre waiting to view original propaganda footage during the Nazi reign

Strolling through the center of town, we made our way to the edges of the establishment where our tour would come to an end.

Right next to the tracks there stands a building housing replicas of the ashes of the victims of war.

The last stop of our tour brings us to the Krematorium.

The Krematorium itself

The furnace

The place where the autopsies were done

Drainage on the autopsy table

It was a long day of listening to despicable acts of monstrosity. On our way out of Terezin we passed this huge rock propped up on a pedestal of sorts. A gift for the town, we were told.