Undefeated: Kornmesser Rangers 2011

Auf Weidersehen Austria

Defensive staff post-game meeting.

"If you send somebody to teach somebody, be sure that the system you are teaching is better than the system they are practicing."

- Oklahoma's Native Son- Will Rogers

I was reading some Will Rogers quotes lately and came across this one.  It gave me pause to remember the moment that I thought I could teach somebody something better than they were practicing it.  I was watching the YouTube football video in which last year's 2010 L.A. Titans (now the Kornmesser Rangers) were playing the Traun Steel Sharks.  I watched the defense of the team that would become the Rangers and saw some things with which I thought I could help.  The team was very long on enthusiasm but lacked certain observable technical skills.

"If they just improved a few things....." I thought to myself.  Because coaches have to make decisions in the seconds between plays, it didn't take long for me to decide that I (we) could make a positive difference in a team.  Instill, practice, and insist on basic fundamentals.  Line up correctly. Play gap-control defense with discipline and an attitude of intensity (like you are mad at the world).  Teach turnovers.  Stop the run.  Control the pass.  Fly to the ball.  Hit hard. Emphasize the kicking game.  (Close games are decided by them.  That's why they call them "Special Teams".)  

So I suggested that Johnathan come along also.  When the Rangers agreed, Johnathan actually cut his European "Walkabout" short by two weeks and began installing the Odd-Stack defense that he (and later, the Altus Staff) had learned from current Tulsa Union coach Kirk Fridrich while coaching with him at Stillwater HS.  In reality, he did all the "heavy-lifting".  By the time I arrived in February, the basics of the secondary/lb play were in.  

We used our defensive terms, we coached stance, alignment, and technique.  We read and reacted to blocks, routes, and backfield actions.  We coached "scoop 'n score", interceptions, pursuit, and above all, TACKLING.

Johnathan made animated PowerPoints that showed when, where, and why we moved where we did.  Scouting reports were assembled and emailed.  Adjustments were produced.  Film sessions were scheduled and watched.  We made ourselves available every time extra learning time was requested and needed.  The players, in return, showed us the utmost respect and hustle.  They never challenged our knowledge and / or authority.  They had a multitude of questions as well as a few doubts and reservations.  I felt that we answered each one, (mostly) with patience and understanding.  I hope there was no question about our work ethic, intensity, or passion for the game.  We wanted to represent Altus, Oklahoma, and USA football in the way we had been taught and in the way it should be approached, practiced, and played.

We allowed just over 10 points and averaged causing about 3 turnovers per game.  We never allowed opposing offenses more than 175 yards passing or 150 yards rushing.  Often, these totals were much less. In one game, we stopped the best offense in the division in overtime when they had the ball on our one yard line with 1st and ten.  Numerous times, opponents were stopped on 4th down attempts.  3 and outs were common in every game.  We contributed to cause by scoring on defense in two different games.  When all hope seemed lost in the semi-finals, we stripped the ball and recovered it (the offense responded in kind by scoring the winning td on the next play).  We lost key players to injuries, etc and replaced them with success.  We saw guys improve their skills, virtually before our very eyes during the season. But the thing that we did of which I am the proudest was: we never let the opponent score more than we scored.

Undefeated. 2011 Silver Bowl Champions.

The Rangers organization gave every effort to do things first class.  Sometimes, events beyond their control or foresight prevented some plans, but the intentions were always of the highest caliber.  Team president Gerhard Brauer and his wife Manuella show their evident love for the game through countless, thankless, unseen, and unglamorous efforts.  Head Coach Mathias Weinberger gave us the freedom to coach defense. He adopted a pragmatic approach to the challenges of the higher level of competition than in past years by accepting our suggestions at times. He also demonstrated his knowledge of Austrian football that resulted in another undefeated season.  Assistants Manuel Auzinger and Matthias Neumann gave of their time unselfishly and with great skill.  Guardian angels like Melanie Pinz, Mona Wi, and Claudia Schwarz were constantly helping where they could.

It was a new experience for me to be coaching players that were as old as my former assistants.  I once remarked to 39-year old middle linebacker Franz Koloshar, that I was used to coaching WITH guys his age and not actually coaching guys his age.  The players were married, had children (sometimes both at the same time), jobs, and school.  They were from 17 to 39 years old and possessed varying degrees of English usage.  Many times they said things I couldn't understand and at others, were blunt and brutally honest.  Their main exposure to American football was NFL and movies.  They kept up with NFL.com and watched games at odd hours because of the time difference.  Some started playing football around 10-12 years old, some at 21.  They bought and carried their own gear.  They were pre-law students, railway workers, airline employees, and polizei (police).  They were teachers, students, youth ministers, and bartenders.  But we were all bound together by our love of the game of football.  

And because of that love, I got to experience an amazing 5 and ½ months.  An unforgettable first season of American football in Austria.  I may return to this incredible country and if so, I expect to compete at an even higher level with similar results.  But I will never have another first season in Europe.  

So was Will Rogers quote from before 1935, applicable for this season?   Was what we taught better than what they were practicing?  I would like to think so, but I hope that we taught some things that were at least, useful. And let me finish by saying one more thing.

 This Same game; new continent has been a great ride.

Auf Weidersehen

Pre-season scrimmage at Salzburg

Practice sessions in cold nights!

Susan, Johnathan, and I after the semi-final victory.

Pre-season scrimmage at Graz

Graz Scrimmage warm-up

Going over defensive signals in pre-game

Mani and I
 

Consulting the game day chart on the sideline.

Johnathan.  Gameday/Sideline Face

Johnathan, Me, Mani Auzinger

Calling defensive signals. On the sideline with Coaches Weinberger, Auzinger, Hepner, and Neumann.

Silver Bowl Champion Coaches
(L to R) Manuel Auzinger, Johnathan Hepner, Mathias Neumann, Mathias Weinberger, Lyn Hepner

Kornmesser Rangers
2011 Silver Bowl Champions

Living a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity.

Auf Weidersehen Austria.  It was a great ride.

Venezia!

Canal traffic under the Rialto Bridge

We decided that after a sobering and solemn trip to Auschwitz, that we needed a vibrant, happy, beach destination to finish off our European experience.  The first one that came to mind was Venice, Italy.  We took a night train from Vienna’s Huttledorf train station to Santa Lucia Train station in Venice.

Venice is a city like no other in the world.  Situated in a lagoon in the northern Adriatic Sea, it literally sits on the water and on a number of small islands.  The streets of Venice are “paved” with water.  Although it is served by a train that crosses from the mainland, it is the largest city in the world that operates without cars or trucks.  The Grand Canal is the main artery and numerous, narrower canals branch off from it.  Even police and ambulance move about in boats.  Public transportation is in the form of “vaporettis” (water taxi).  Of course, gondolas are the most famous mode of transportation in the historic city.

One of many narrow canals in Venice

Gondola

The city, that reached the height of its influence in the 1300s, is set upon wooden pilings that have been driven through the sand and clay beneath the water.  Since wood does not decay where oxygen cannot reach it, the city foundation is actually petrified wood and has supported the city for centuries.  Venice was a thriving center of trade between Asia and Europe. As of recent years, it is believed that the water level of the ocean threatens the city and is causing it to “sink”.  So slowly,  like its influence throughout history, the city is sinking.

We stumbled off the 10 hour train ride (another story) into a bustling station, and like the hundreds of other newcomers, were a bit overwhelmed.  Dragging our suitcase (with only 3 operational wheels), we bought a ticket on the vaporetti to Lido Island to locate our hotel.  Situated on the Grand Canal, this is probably the busiest vaporetti stop in the city.  We negotiated our way from the floating, moving dock onto the floating, moving ferry. We crammed ourselves and luggage onto the crowded vessel and shoved off from the dock.

Susan riding through the "streets" of Venice.

Being land-locked Okies, we were amazed at the sights as we wound our way through the canal and through the port  as we rose and fell with the gentle waves as we crossed to Lido.  Vessels ranging from gondolas and motor boats to a barges and cruise ships populated the busy waterway.   I was amazed that so many watercrafts could move about without so much as a close call.  The vaporetti stopped a number of times to allow passengers to get on and off.  Within about 45 minutes, we were offloading at our island destination.  Again, we found ourselves among a crowd of bewildered tourists.  Being unfamiliar with the area and following the “man-law” of not asking directions, we struck out to where my personal “GPS” told me that our hotel was.  In retrospect, maybe I should have asked.

From the stern of the vaporetti; on the way to Lido Island.

Lido island is a long, narrow spit of sand populated by stately villas, beach cabanas, shops, businesses, and hotels.  It allows motorcars, has public bus service, and is infested with approximately 1 trillion bicycles and motorbikes.  We consulted our map and found the street on which La Meridiana hotel was situated and struck out on foot.  About 30 minutes of dragging a suitcase in the island sun had me questioning the wisdom of my actions so we asked a nice Italian lady the whereabouts of our elusive destination.  With fractured English, she informed us that the hotel was about 20 meters down the narrow street, along a canal.  20 meters turned into 200, then 400, then 800.  Finally, a blessed event, the sighting of the hotel!

Our hotel.  La Meridiana

Our hotel was situated in a quiet neighborhood, about 250 meters (really) from the beach.  It was nestled amongst the drooping branches of stately, tall trees.  A tall wall of shrubs formed the outer perimeter and the white, stucco-covered villa was covered with vines. Cicadas serenaded us in the still heat of the morning.  A distant hooting of an owl could be heard.  As we walked through the arched entry, we encountered a pleasant, shaded dining area.  When we entered our room, the first thing I noticed was the blessed feel of air conditioning! The room was not huge, but big enough.  It had an adjoining bathroom connected by a private hallway.  In the bathroom, I discovered a sight to which I am unaccustomed.  Two toilets; sitting side-by-side?  One looked familiar but the other, a bit different.  Maybe the spare was a place I which we could wash our swimsuits?  We never tried it.  Mild curiosity  was the only attention it got.

What's that there "extry" toilet fer ya'll? 

We took a walk to the beach.  On this busy Sunday afternoon, the beach was well populated.  People of every imaginable age and shape were engaging in the customs of the beach.  Sand castles, volleyball, soccer, sun-bathing, etc. I have to include the fact that we encountered far too many speedos, rolls, and wrinkles (not necessarily in that combination) for my comfort.  We both got the feeling that no one was bothered about either the appearance they projected or  those they encountered.  Overall, it was a happy place.

The east side of Lido Island.  This is one of many beaches.

We returned to our hotel and cleaned up to go out to eat.  We learned how to ride the bus to the busy Maria Elissabetha street and strolled until we found an outdoor portion of a street café.  We both ordered pizza and were not overwhelmed by the products that were served.  They weren’t bad but I thought that in the country famous for pizza, a better example could have been produced.  I may be prejudiced but I agree with my son Johnathan, in that European pizza is not as good as American.  European pizza is very thin and has very little sauce.  (Inexplicably, in Austria, corn is scattered as a common topping.) Disparaging pizza in Italy is equal to blasphemy, right?  Anyway, since we were worn out from the long day and night’s travels, following our unspectacular pizza experience, we returned to our room and collapsed.

Really, Italy, that's your best pizza? Seriously? 

             

Monday was beach day.  I have never really been a sun-worshiping “beach person” but made the effort because of Susan’s desire to visit the one near our hotel.   She had the official swimsuit and beach towel.  I donned my gym shorts and absconded with a towel from the hotel room.   Rightfully fearing the feel of a miserable sunburn on my fish-belly white skin, I left Susan sunning on the beach and I struck out to find sunscreen.  After a fairly long walk, I found a shop, entered, selected a bottle of sunscreen and handed the clerk what I thought was more than enough to pay for it.  She looked at me and after a bit of an awkward moment, I realized that it was 18 Euros (about 23 bucks)!  Sheepishly, I pulled out another ten-euro note, paid, and beat an embarrassed and hasty retreat with my valuable spf 20.    

BEACH!!!

The 18 euros turned out to be well-spent as we spent upwards of two hours at the beach.  That may not sound like much to seasoned beach-goers, but it was enough for skin that hasn’t seen natural sunlight for years!  Later, that day and the ones to follow, I was mildly but painfully reminded of the places to which I neglected to apply the sunscreen.  Susan spent much time on the beach, timing how long to lie in one position and then re-positioning strategically to another.  I tried that.  For about 3 minutes.  Then I got back in the water.  Then I tried the sun-bathing ritual again.  For about 3 more minutes.  Not my gig.  The whole experience was different and enjoyable.  I even made the statement that I could enjoy a life that included a lot of days enjoying a beach.  Later, we returned to the hotel to wash off the sand and rest.  The afternoon found us exploring more the town and more beaches. That evening,  a beach-side café and moonlit walk down quiet streets, to the hotel.

Cruisin' on the Canals

Tuesday was spent roaming up and down the canals and narrow streets of Venice.  Crossing the port in the now-familiar vaporetti, a combination of bright sunlight, heat, and humidity accompanied us. Shade and breeze became a valuable commodities as we meandered.  With no real agenda but to experience the place, we were not disappointed in what we saw.  The architecture of many centuries formed the backdrop for the thousands of tourists that crisscrossed places like St. Mark’s square.  During the day, we crossed the Rialto Bridge and later, strategically found seats in the stern of a vaporetti that took us on an unofficial tour of the Grand Canal.  From our vantage point, we saw the buildings on the canal in various states of decay.  The ambience of this city emanates from the very thing that makes every other city less desirable.  Crumbling foundations and facades of buildings built centuries before formation of the Constitution of the US, overlook the greenish-blue waters of the lagoon and city.  Cargo laden boats scurry up and down the canals delivering everything from bottled water to refrigerators.  Traghettos, (gondolas that have been de-commissioned and relegated to simply carrying people across the canal) dodge larger vessels as they transport people that don’t want to walk to the next bridge.

Venetian Clothes Dryer

We plunged into narrow alleys and streets, encountering shops, restaurants, and sights of every kind.  Beggars, street performers, and waiters constantly beckon the crush of tourists to spend their money.  Cameras hang from the perspiring necks and wrists of visitors from every continent.  Gondoliers awaiting another fare, stand beside bridges straddling the canals and heartily encourage people to board their floating business and livelihood.  The obligatory souvenir shops fill every imaginable nook and cranny.  It doesn’t take long before every street begins to look like the rest.

Tourists in St. Mark's Square

We inspected menus of the restaurants near the most popular places.  Cokes (.33 liters) are brazenly sold for over 5 euros and dishes of ice cream (gelato) go for 14.  A meal, complete with 3 courses and wine could go well into the hundreds.  We retreated with heads spinning to Lido island, where prices were a little lower for our evening meal.  On Lido, we explored more of the community and found a free public beach. 

One of many outdoor cafes in Venice.  We met some great folks from Australia here later.

As sunset approached, we watched the people as they wound up the day.  We observed a group of teenaged girls from Uruguay, posing in a “planking” position for a picture (if you haven’t heard about planking, Google it).  The young men near us on the concrete bleachers, taking the picture from afar, got tickled at the scene behind the girls.  In the near background, two “larger”, “mature” women in swim-suits, were arranging their towels in preparation for a bit of sunbathing (in rather unflattering postures and positions; let your imagination form the picture in your mind).  As the “plus-sized” pair settled in (with their gelato), the laughter of the boys became louder.  The teen girls, awaiting the picture to be taken, turned to discover the source of the laughter from the boys.  This led to laughter from the girls. Thankfully, the ladies in the background never caught on.  Someday, maybe this picture will appear on Imagur.  It may be one of those things in which you have to be there to appreciate.

We rode the vaporetti back to Lido as the sun was setting over Venice.  The cool of the approaching night combined with the lights reflecting off the water provided a production that our camera could not portray.  Suffice it to say that dusk in Venice it was a highlight of any day.

The camera can't portray the beauty of the actual view.  Taken in the port between Venice and Lido Island

Our train didn’t leave till 9 pm on Tuesday, so we spent the day crisscrossing the canals of Venice with the unlimited trips afforded us by the 24-hour card we purchased.  We saw much more of the same and I may sound unappreciative or unsophisticated, but I feel that we got the “feel” for the city in the time we were there.  During our stay, we encountered and interacted with some really great people.  At our hotel, we met a professor of philosophy and his wife, on their way to a wedding in France and later, to teach summer seminars.  At a canal-side café, we met a mother and daughter from Australia celebrating their respective birthdays in Venice thanks to the reduced fares available to flight attendants.  Sadly, we left each encounter without a picture of either pair, however we DID leave with a warm feeling of friendship with someone we will probably never see again but who will be remembered fondly.

By the time 7 pm rolled around, we were ready to return to Vienna.  One obstacle remained to overcome.  The trip to Venice had been in 2^nd class seating.  This situation involved sharing a 6-person compartment (3 facing 3).  In this lower priced situation, the seats were spaced too closely for this quasi-claustrophobic, the temperature too high and the air too stuffy for a 10-12 hour return.  My objective was to upgrade to a first-class seat with reclining bus-type seats with more leg room and only the back of the next seat upon which to avoid eye contact for many long hours.  As we were looking for an office to expedite such an upgrade, I noticed a train employee from the OBB that I recognized from the trip from Vienna.  This turned out to be a stoke of good fortune.  I approached him, asking if he worked on the Venice to Vienna train.  His eyes widened in amazement that I recognized him from the earlier trip but told me that he didn’t think any first-class seats were available.  I thanked him and began to leave when he added that they DID have some availability in the sleeper cars (on which he worked).  He beckoned us to follow him and as the train had just arrived, took us aboard to a previously-unoccupied room aboard the car.  It had 3 spacious seats, a sink, closet and 3 bunk bed type berths that folded down for sleeping.  Compared to the experience from Vienna, this was a little piece of heaven!  I had left in my wallet, just enough to pay for the upgrade in cash.  Regrettably, I didn’t have much with which to tip him for his unexpected, welcome extra efforts.  I scraped up 15 euros in notes and coin and sheepishly explained that it was all we had and that he deserved more.  He accepted the 15 euros graciously accepted my reduced financial statu.  Later, he delivered two gift packages with water, wine, fruit, and candy and took our order for breakfast to be served at 7:30 the following morning.   Having spent a hot and sweaty day in the heat and humidity, this part of the trip was an unexpected but extremely welcome conclusion. I appreciate Alex of the OBB for the “extra mile” that he travelled for us.

We arrived at Vienna Wednesday morning, unloaded our 3-wheeled suitcase, and made our way back to the Villa with another stockpile of great memories.  I didn’t mention it to Susan, but I was experiencing the lingering sensation that I was still rising and falling with the waves (as on a boat on the ocean).  Surprisingly, later she happened to mention that she was experiencing the very same sensation.  Even though we were never out of site of the shoreline of Venice, some 12 hours after we disembarked from our last ride on the vaporetti, we landlubbers were still feeling the effects of the Adriatic Sea.  Over the coming years, in the same manner, I expect to bear lingering memories of the great experience that was Venice.

We have only a handful of days left before we return to the states.  This is actually a good thing as my supply of Euros has descended to a level with which to purchase little more than a few last sightseeing trips remain.  As I close this chapter, a thought occurred to me. 

A handful of days left…..hmmm….

Maybe we should live our lives like we are on a once-in-a-lifetime vacation.  Make the most of the time you have, rest a little along the way, and be friendly to the people you meet.  

Ciao.

Sunset on the Grand Canal.
Awesome.

A Visit to Museum of the Austrian Army: Pictures, Mostly

Today, I drug Susan to a military museum under the guise that we would visit a beautiful castle called Belvedere Palace afterwards.  We DID visit the Museum of the Austrian Military.  We kind of missed going to the palace.  But only because it was raining.  We WILL visit Belvedere later.  Besides, after a stimulating museum tour of the history of Austria's military, who has the energy to see any old beautiful palace anyway?

I was too "frugal" to want to rent the audio tour headphones and plunged into the two story fort-turned-museum to see the Austrian's contribution to thinning out the world's population over its long and glorious past.  I don't have a lot to write but my short synopsis is this:

Austria has known war and been involved in war on and off for centuries.  Their allies as well as enemies have varied from war to war but the remaining constant seems to be that the common, everyday, soldier bore the brunt of the fighting and dying while the crowned heads/leaders of Austria as well as the other nations, got or lost the glory.  Not too different of a story of any nation of the world.  Now or in the past.

My main reason for visiting this museum was the fact that they have the car in which Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were assassinated, sparking the events that led to WWI (which was just the first half of the story.  WWI led directly to WWII).  After perusing literally tons of war-making hardware, paintings, and trying to de-cipher German inscriptions, I found the car.  Not only the car, but the tunic Ferdinand wore on that fateful day.  A small bullet hole was noticeable just below the right side of the collar.

The one bullet that caused that tiny hole unleashed a firestorm of war the likes of which the world has never seen.  Estimates set at no less than 40 million dead littered the world from Sarejevo to the Marne and Chateau Thierry and later, from Stalingrad to Midway, from Pearl Harbor to Normandy Beach, Iwo Jima, and Hiroshima before it was over.  That small, singular hole created by Gavrillio Princip's pistol added to the one formed when another single bullet formed a self-inflicted hole in Adolf Hitler have had untold influence of this century as well as the last.

Having alluded to the Second World War, I noticed that there is barely a shred of a mention of the Austrian involvement in the Third Reich's war effort during WWII.  This may have to do with laws passed after the war.  In any event, the  museum is very informative and impressive.  They even have some up-to-date exhibits of today's Austrian military.

This is a collection of pictures we took on the tour (before and AFTER the staff told us "NO FLASH" Tip for Austrian Military Museum- put up some signs!).

Various uniforms of the early 1800s

The biggest artillery piece in the museum.  It's shell (see below near the breech) is as big as a sofa!

Susan stands beside a WWI "flying machine".

WWI tank.  Not sure how it got in the water.

Gatling Gun.  Circa 1867

20 mm cannon on a carriage with seats on each side.

Panzer!!!

WWI uniform with chest-plate and face protector.

WWI gas mask apparatus

The car (with flash)

The car (no flash).

Ferdinand's Tunic.  

The bullet hole is almost imperceptible on the upper left side of it as you face it (between the first and second buttons and to toward the neck).  I do not know what caused the tear on the opposite side breast.

What child doesn't dream of a birthday party at the Museum of the Austrian Military!?!

Whose up for some cut-the-tail-off-the-donkey or some balloon break bingo with Mausers ???

Auschwitz II; Birkenau

The Birkenau Camp (Auschwitz II) was built alleviate overcrowding at Auschwitz and step up the horrendous task of eliminating Jews and other "undesirables" from the European continetnt. It was built entirely by prisoner slave-labor on a swamp area 3 km away. Consisting mostly wooden structures, it is in a state of decay and therefore, most of the exhibits from Birkenau are on display in the brick buildings of Aushwitz I. No visit to this epicenter of evil is complete without a visit to this camp.

The infamous railroad track as it enters the camp through the arch is the subject of many photos. It is said that once one entered through that arch, the only way out was through the crematorium at the other end of this track (1 km past the gate). Today, we entered through a side entrance and walked the 1 kilometer to the ruins of the Nazi gas chambers and crematoriums 2 and 3.

The last few feet of rail before entrance to Birkenau.

No one will ever know exactly how many perished in this state-sponsored genocide but conservative estimates put the number at 1.5 million killed from 1940-1945 at this and thee Auschwitz I and III facilities. At the end of the war, approximately 400,000 Hungarian Jews were exterminated over an 8-week period. At 168 hours a week of round-the-clock murder, this works out to nearly 300 people an hour; exterminated in this efficient, heartless killing factory by cold, trained government employees.

The journey consisted of the rounding up of all Jewish people; usually already confined in ghettoes in their respective Nazi-controlled cities. They were told to bring their belongings (a deviously clever ploy by the Nazis to later steal these possessions) and were herded onto cattle cars. As many as 80 men, women, and children were crowded onto these cars. Without food, water, or sanitary facilities, they were kept aboard and transported as far as 2000 kilometers to Birkenau.

A lone boxcar remains on the track. Behind it (on the right) the guardhouse is visible. In this area, the prisoners left their belongings and were divided into those that lived to be worked to death and those that perished immediately.

When the train passed through the arch, it traveled about half of a km to a crossroads near a guard house. They were unloaded and brutal guards with clubs, guns, and dogs told them to drop their belongings and form into two lines. Women on one side and men on the other. The reason was that they would be "showering" after the long, filthy ride.

Walking towards the guard house / platform where the captives were unloaded. It can be seen on the left. The distance was about 1/2 km from the front gate.

Along the way, one of the many guard towers remains; mutely witnessing the memories of unimaginable horrors.

All children (except twins; they were "saved" by Dr. Mengele for his macabre "research") and old women were immediately sent down the tracks to the "showers". Some able-bodied women would be spared for future slave-labor. In captured photos, the faces of the women and children bely no terror. The assumption that they were actually going to shower instead of what really awaited them must have been lingering. After all, who would imagine that anyone could be so evil as to fool them into removing their clothes so the disposal of their body could be facilitated more easily?

The lines of men then passed by Nazi "doctors" that would in a matter of seconds, direct them into two different lines and directions. One direction was for the old and infirm. They had no useful purpose for the "Master Race" so they were directed down the track to the shower/gas chambers. To the other direction, the healthiest men were directed. They would receive an actual shower (and have every bit of hair shaved) to de-louse them before being assigned to a barracks. Their deaths would come later, after hours of torturous labor and degradation.

The guardhouse near the platform where the prisoners were unloaded.

Another view of the guardhouse. Doctors had the few seconds it took the new arrivals to walk (from the rail cars) this distance to decide if they were healthy enough to work to death or send directly to the gas chambers. Those selected for the "showers" were sent down the path to the

The selection process. Those being sent to their left (towards the guardhouse) and down the tracks at the top right of the picture were being sent directly to their deaths. Those sent to their immediate right were deemed as fit for slave labor.

Through this gate the prisoners pictured above were directed to their right to be used as slave labor.

Those assigned to the gas chambers were directed underground to an area where they were told to undress and hang their clothes on numbered pegs (they were told to remember the number of the peg on which they hung their clothes so they could retrieve them after the shower). Then, they were directed into the "shower". In the gas chamber, the cruel deception was furthered by the placement of non-working shower heads to minimize the panic. When all were crowded into the chamber, the airtight doors were locked and Zyclon B pellets were poured into the specially constructed vents. The body heat from the hundreds of people combined with heat forced in from the crematorium caused the pellets to transform into deadly cyanide gas. Specially constructed peep holes allowed the attendants to ascertain as to when all were dead. It took about 20 minutes for even the strongest (found at the top of the heap of bodies where the air fresher, longer) to succumb.

Following the venting of the room to allow the living to enter, Sonderkommandos entered to remove the bodies. Women's hair was shorn, body cavities were searched for valuables, and gold teeth were forcibly removed with pliers. Then the bodies were ready for cremation. Because there was such a demand to do away with huge amount of bodies, the crematoriums ran day and night. The estimated capacity of over 1400 crematioins a day was given by Rudolf Hoess, the Camp Commandant in his memoirs (just before he was hanged for his part in the Holocaust).

Small children headed to the "showers". Believing this lie, their faces show no fear or panic. The young woman pictured in the center appears to be healthy enough to work. The reason she is in this group is because of her newborn. The act of removing her baby would have produced unwanted panic. It was easier to send them both to die.

Human bodies are composed of mainly water and extremely high temperatures must be maintained for about 20 minutes to maximize the process of cremation. Often the rush to satisfy the demand of the ovens precipitated a shorter, less efficient attempt. Then, un-incinerated bones were removed by means of a rake and crushed into powder by Sonderkommandos. This powder, along with the ashes of the recently cremated, was sold by the SS and used as fertilizer.

Crematorium #2 as it looked while in operation. The Nazis blew it up and ruins are all that remain today.

The entrance to the underground area where the prisoners were told to undress.

Those selected for labor were housed in wooden barracks. Assembled onsite by prisoners, these were pre-fabricated in Germany. The poorly constructed buildings were un-insulated and had a fireplace at each end. Wood was all but unavailable, so the winter months brought intense suffering. The bunks were nothing more than wide wooden slats and held as many as 8 prisoners per section. The top bunks were the most desirable because of the rampant cases of dysentery and diarrhea. It was not uncommon to awaken to find that numerous deaths had occurred during the night.

The barracks. This was one of hundreds in the camp. Pre-fabricated in Germany and sent by rail, they were assembled by prisoners.

Crudely constructed toilets. No privacy. Prisoners were degraded in every aspect of their lives.

These bunks held as many as 8 per section. The concrete running down the length connects the two fireplaces. Above, one can see openings covered with chicken wire.

At this point of the tour, I had seen all that I wanted to experience. I looked up through the chicken wire covered opening into the light streaming through it and sought to be away from this terrible place. Luckily, I was born at the time and place in history that allowed this departure to occur.

We took a few more pictures, met our group at our bus and rode the 65 kilometers back to Cracow. Although I will be many mile away from Auschwitz/Birkenau, I will always remember the experience.

Photo of prisoners building a drainage ditch around the camp. Birkenau is located on swampy ground.

The same ditch today. Picture taken from just inside the fence.

Small bouquets and memorials can be seen in various places throughout the camps.

Near the ruins of the gas chambers; plaques in a number of the world's languages are visible on display. This one was in English. The stones are memorials left by Jewish people who leave them instead of flowers.

Chimneys of barracks that have been destroyed or were torn down. The number of barracks existing at one time in the enclosure is staggering to attempt to comprehend.

Note: I took the liberty of including some pictures from the Auschwitz Album website and from pictures taken of the exhibits in the camps. I used them to produce the "then and now"perspective and to re-enforce what the guides told us in our educational tour