Record Number of Visitors See Auschwitz in 2007

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Only an hour and a half away from Krakow lies one of the most tragic and depressing monuments to the destructive nature of man: Auschwitz, or Oswiecim as it is known to Poles. While what happened at the Auschwitz I and Auschwitz II Bireknau concentration camps during the Second World War was an unprecedented tragedy, to forget those events would be a tragedy in itself. Luckily, more and more people are visiting the concentration camp and museum and learning the history of the events, as 2007 saw a record-breaking number of visitors.

1.22 million people visited the death camps in 2007 according to the museum's statistics. The majority of visitors come from abroad to see the museum, with the greatest numbers coming from the UK, the United States, and Germany. Of the 1.22 million visitors, 755,000 were foreigners. The number of foreign visitors to the camps has increased dramatically, both since Poland joined the European Union in 2004, and since cheap flights to Poland have become abundant, and it's expected that 2008 will bring even more visitors. In addition to the concentration camps themselves, Oswiecim is also home to the Auschwitz Jewish Centre, which tells the story of Polish Jews living in the area before and after the tragedy of the Second World War.

Source: Cracow Life

Jan.08.2008



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"I agree about Mary's comments about visitors not eating on the tour. The sancitity of the place must be respected. During our visit in November, we were shocked and surprised as we witnessed a violent altercation between a Tour Guide and her client. They were shouting and threatening one another. Unfortunately because they were doing so in a language other than English, we could not understand what it was all about! Some respect please."

Eric Charoux
Mauritius
Feb.10.2008
rates this page
4/5

"Auschwitz stays with you and I'll never forget all the faces of some of the prisners. But, please, if you visit respect those who suffered by not eating whilst on the tour. We had an American who constantly filled his face with crisps(potato chips) for much of the tour. "

mary
United Kingdom
Jan.15.2008
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3/5