Today I met an old Friend. He is Italian, and lives in Prague. He is a photographer turned Tour Guide. He took me to two places today. It was a very disturbing day. The first
was Terazin, about 40 km north of Prague. This once great fortress (complted in 1790) was turned into a Jewish Ghetto/staging are for transport of jews to Aushwitz in WWII.There
were some 153,000 prisoners in the Ghetto during the war. Of the 87,000 that were shipped out to other Consentration Camps, only 4,000 survived.
Attached to it is another place called "The Little Fortress". It was a prison for political prisoners and undesireables from Nazi occupied lands. Of the 300,000 jews who passed
through these two forts, it is estimated that only about 15% survived the war. most of hte women and children were shipped to Aushwitz and executed upon arrival. It was gastly.
A third of the estimated 32,000 prisoners (including women) that were here were tortured to death. Another 4% were executed by firing squad or hanging. Suprisingly, 5% were able
to escape. I guess Colonel Klinck was in charge
Both halves of the Fortress are completely intact. The big Fort is now a city full of museums, and the little fort is a historical site.
Terazin...
I will continue day 4 in part 4.5.