The duty of remembering

We had learned about it in history class, watched films and documentaries, and heard or read testimonies—but none of that could truly prepare us for visiting the Auschwitz camp. We both hesitated before making the visit, knowing it would deeply affect us. Is it really necessary to see all of this? Should such a place become a tourist attraction? Why willingly expose ourselves to the pain of the past when, in the present, the goal is rather to feel good? For us, the duty of remembrance answers all of these questions. We simply could not come so close without stopping to honor the memory of the 1.3 million people who died behind those walls, to see with our own eyes what human beings are capable of. Even though we can never come close to the suffering, fear, and misery they endured, standing ourselves behind those walls and barbed wire remains, in our view, a human duty toward those who were (and still are) treated inhumanely.

One of the things that struck us most during this visit was the sheer size of the camp. In fact, there were two: Auschwitz I, the concentration camp, which initially held Polish prisoners before also receiving Jews and other “undesirables.” It was there that Nazi doctors carried out horrific “scientific” experiments, and where the use of Zyklon B gas was tested and validated as part of the “Final Solution” conceived by Hitler—the extermination of the Jews. This process was later expanded on a massive scale in the second camp, Auschwitz II-Birkenau, located a few kilometers away and built solely for that purpose. It was there that four gas chambers and crematoria operated continuously, and where, in five years, more than one million men, women, and children were killed—most of them upon arrival.

With a lump in our throat, a knot in our stomach, and chills down our spine, we walked along the railway platform where the trains arrived, and followed the path toward the back of the camp, where the gas chambers stood—walking the same route as all those unfortunate people. You’ve all seen photos, so there is no need to include many here. We took very few anyway, and in any case, they could never truly convey what it feels like to visit this factory of death. We are sharing just this one, which, to us, is particularly powerful:

The end of the track, where the rails stop. The end of the journey in every sense of the word 😞.

It took us several days to recover from this visit, and perhaps we never fully will—which, strangely enough, is enriching. But the visit also reminds us that, while a genocide of such magnitude and organization will probably (and hopefully) never happen again, human beings still today kill others simply because they were not born in the right place, to the right parents, do not pray to God in the “right” way, do not have the “right” skin color and for countless other senseless reasons; while the rest of the world looks the other way. Eighty years later, one has to wonder what humanity has truly learned from such barbarity.

But life goes on—and it must. The small town of Oświęcim (Auschwitz in German) is now a normal town, with children playing football in the park, people walking their dogs or jogging along the Sola River, planting flowers in their gardens in this early spring. Honoring the memory of those who perished also means, for us, living life even more fully. So we leave Oświęcim very much alive, continuing our exploration of Poland.

Our first stop: Łódź (pronounced “woudge”), a city whose fate could be compared to Manchester in England. Once a major industrial hub thanks to its thriving textile industry, its economy collapsed in the 1970s and 80s. But the city has managed to regain its dynamism and modernize, becoming today an important center of art and culture. Its old industrial buildings have been beautifully restored, and the work is far from over.

The city is like an open-air museum. You can find artistic touches everywhere—in the streets, on the sidewalks,

and on the walls. A street art competition held a few years ago has left its mark all over the city, making it very pleasant to wander around with your eyes wide open.

Łódź was a wonderful discovery—a city still under the tourist radar between Kraków and Warsaw. Since the Polish capital was also on our route, there was no question of skipping it. We discovered a large, modern, and thriving metropolis.

Warsaw suffered enormously during the war, particularly during the Warsaw Uprising in 1944, when the Polish resistance (quickly joined by many civilians) rose up against the German occupants. Poorly equipped, barely trained, and isolated without support, the fight was lost from the start. Still, the uprising lasted 63 days and resulted in the near-total destruction of the city. You don’t have to walk long in the city center before coming across a plaque commemorating a tragic event that took place at that exact spot. The German troops showed no mercy.

But the Polish people are not easily defeated. The entire historic center has been rebuilt as faithfully as possible to its past.

That is what we take away from the Polish people: resilience—the ability to rise again and keep going. Often invaded throughout their history, from the west or the east, they have always managed to rebuild. Today, Poland is a modern and dynamic country where life is good. The people are pleasant, everything is clean, houses are well maintained—there’s no doubt about it, life is good in Poland in 2026. They’ve earned it...

After visiting Warsaw, we continued northeast. But with temperatures rising only to drop again, and weather forecasting more autumnal than spring-like days, our tolerance for close quarters reached its peak. We had to get out of the van—and fast! So we treated ourselves to a short Airbnb stay 😎. We had very specific criteria: not too far off our route, parking available, a separate bedroom (no studio), a washing machine, and a good internet connection to take care of some administrative matters—like taxes 😒. We found exactly what we needed: a small apartment in an agritourism setting at a reasonable price, peaceful and surrounded by countryside in the Masurian region of northeastern Poland—perfect for watching the rain (and snow) fall. The cherry on top? The place is run by a French-speaking Belgian couple who have been living in Poland for eight years. In addition to agritourism, they also process cereals (mainly spelt) and are currently developing their own organic, short-supply-chain products: oils, lentils, flours, and more. Meeting Astrid, Thibault, and their two children was truly special. We were right to stop there—the break did us a world of good!

We are now ready to begin the final phase of our great journey 💪 Already nine months behind us and only three to go. Spring finally seems to have arrived, the days are getting longer (sunrise before 6 a.m. and sunset after 9 p.m.), and the beginning of the end starts with the Baltic countries. We can already tell you that new experiences await—but to discover them all, you’ll have to keep traveling with us 😊.

To see the map (which is getting quite full!) and the photos: it's here

Jérôme and Sophie