I know many people who say they cannot visit Auschwitz because it would be too much. I have deep respect for this view. I also understand that many feel uncomfortable with the way in which Auschwitz has become a place that anyone can easily visit, take photographs, or purchase books and postcards.
But this is not a place like any other. And the millions of people who visit Auschwitz every year visit this place for a different reason than any other tourist place. Yes, I felt like some people were not as respectful of the site as they could have been. I was uneasy filing in and out of barracks with not enough time to stop and pause and truly come to terms with where I was. It was uncomfortable knowing that in just a few hours I could leave and travel back to a comfortable hotel room and a delicious meal in a beautiful city.
I also felt encouraged. I was heartened by the length of the queues of visitors—groups, families, students, travellers on their own. Because for every person who visits Auschwitz, there is another person who has seen and who has heard difficult truths.