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Personal Reflection/Anecdote

the Lili Jacob album shows an older man walking down
to the pond with a canteen. The cruelty captured in the
photograph is not only of the innocent people awaiting their
planned murder but also of this unsuspecting man about
to drink water contaminated with the cremation remains
of fellow victims. Our group was solemn as we stood near
the memorial markers by the pond. One of my colleagues
took the time to pick up a stone and place it on one of the
markers. A heavy burden seemed to weigh all of us down View of Auschwitz-Birkenau from the guard
as we walked to the end of a path that led to an opening in tower.
the fencing so that we could exit the camp by the former SS
barracks.
This fencing had no door, and we assisted each other by grasping each other’s palms in order to cross
a wide ditch while holding the wiring of the barrier in order to make a safe exit from the camp. The irony
hit me after looking through the wire and reflecting on helping one another cross this ditch so we could
finally leave the camp. Our group had to purchase tickets to explore this place of death, and yet our
exploration was now requiring an unexpected
exit. This exit required effort and teamwork.
In this exploration, not only did our group
emotionally share the burden of learning in-
depth details of the history of this location,
but we also shared the conviction of teaching
about this dark place with a new perspective
and point of view in mind.

The Impact
Holocaust history always comes back to
Auschwitz-Birkenau at some point because
of the large-scale physical ruins that still
exist and the archival evidence that is still
Pond near the birch forest and Krematorium V, where being examined and researched. More than
ashes were dumped from Krematorium IV and V.
a million individuals were murdered in this
location, mostly Jewish people. Having the opportunity to explore this perspective as a result of DKGIEF
support allowed me to have this personal learning experience and acquire this new approach to teaching
the Holocaust. Teaching the intentionality of the construction plans of Auschwitz-Birkenau provides a
transparent understanding of the goals for mass murder with the continuous changes and expansions of
the camp. Examining photographs taken at this location during the deportations and comparing them to
the historical ruins and architectural remains allows students learning about the Holocaust to gain an in-
depth understanding of this horrific place of death. This point of view provides an educational platform for
classes to seek deliberation in order to better understand the Holocaust in a meaningful context.

All photos by the author

Mindy Walker, a member of Beta Chapter in Alabama State Organization, is a teacher at Holt High School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She
teaches Dual Enrollment U.S. History classes for Shelton State as well as American Government and Economics. She is an active member of
multiple Holocaust education groups and creates lesson plans and curriculum units on various topics regarding World War II and the Holocaust.
walker.mindy108@gmail.com

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