The Breendonk experience

I had daddy come for a visit from Friday to Tuesday.

For the weekend we went on a roadtrip to Antwerpen, Belgium, and Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Why Antwerpen? We wanted to visit Breendonk, a concentration camp of the Nazi -time.

As you may guess, the sight wasn't exactly what I'd call the prettiest.

But to be honest, it wasn't as bad as I expected. For some reason I had the feeling I'd be really in shock and fear, but no. I believe Breendonk wasn't one of the most harshest camps, if such can be said.

the happy face is not most correct for the area of photography

Breendonk was a transit camp and did not act as a main territory of death, like Auschwitz. Torture and hard labor were more of the thing, but lives were lost, too. Often due to an extremely poor working+living environment. Can you imagine having just one toilet break per day at a set time? With a strict 1min break rule..

The visit was interesting and I listened to nearly all 107 (or more?) speeches from the walky talky tape machine thingy, learning and finding out various ghastly stories. I was never that bright or keen during history classes but I guess growth brings along other interests than ponies and unicorns. Anyway, I've always believed that you can't really learn before you want to, and put your interest and focus fully on what you are doing. Like today in class...I wasn't interested until the teacher played the following video ;-)

Breendonk is worth a visit but I think I'd rather go to Auschwitz to get a more greater impression of the early 1940's. All I can think is that those were crazy times, and I wonder what I was doing then...

The website of the Breendonk memorial can be found here.

Peace and love,
L