It was a moral dilemma to test the wisdom of Solomon himself, if bombing Auschwitz would justify the loss of life.
A major consideration was that Hitler’s Third Reich would paint the Allies as anti-Semitic.
History tells us that bombs did rain down on Auschwitz but the damage and deaths to inmates and guards were collateral damage.
From a raid on a nearby industrial installation.
It was the Soviets who eventually liberated Auschwitz. 76 years ago today, January 27.
And in the the aftermath of the War the Poles decided to preserve Auschwitz.
Lest We Forget Auschwitz, Bergen-Belsen and Dachau and the 20+ other Third concentration camps in tbs Third Reich.
Dachau may seem a strange inclusion in a Topdeck Oktoberfest bus booze tour.
But the first German concentration camp left a lasting mark on the Aussie and Kiwi (and one Scot) hard-drinkers.
War tourism is not for everyone and its critics decry it as mawkish, but it is for me.
And I would much rather visit the Flanders Fields and the Somme, the American Civil War Manassas battefield, Anne Frank’s House and Dresden than sit on a beach.
Although thankfully they’re not mutually exclusive for the curious visitor.
My passion for history has thankfully been taken up by my family (they had little choice).
And the Son and Heir sought out Auschwitz on his trip to Krakow for World Youth Day.
Of course, you can only truly appreciate the gravitas of these concentration camps by visiting them.
But since we all can’t go we must rely on the witness testimonies of those who survived its horrors.
And those of us who pay our respects.
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