Reports: Israelis shocked by misting showers at Auschwitz

[47of74]

Source: CBS News

POLAND -- Israelis who recently visited the Auschwitz concentration camp museum in Poland were shocked when they came across mist showers placed near the facilities entrance, according to multiple news sources.

The showers were placed to help visitors beat the heat, but some felt it was insensitive given the gas chamber association, reports Israeli news source Ynet News.

"As soon as I got off the bus I walked into the shower contraption," said Meyer Bolka, an Israeli visiting the museum to Ynet News. "I was in shock. It was a punch to the gut."

According to Bolka and reported by Ynet News, Israeli youths who were visiting the museum used the mist showers to cool down, but the placement of the showers made many older visitors angry.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-israeli-tourists-shocked-by-showers-placed-at-auschwitz-entrance/

---

They should have thought that through a lot more.

[appalachiablue]

1. The photos are shocking and the association with history is unmistakable.

Whoever is behind this knew what they were doing. Despicable.

[Chan790]

41. I'm not sure I agree with that.

It's been my experience that things like this most-often occur because people do not stop to ask themselves "Why is this a terrible idea?" before implementing whatever topical solution pops into their head to the immediate problem.

It's only unmistakable for people who actually stop to think about things.

[yeoman6987]

54. Totally insensitive and rude of the museum to do that

Apologize and move it.

[snooper2]

56. Seems like people are getting their undies in a wad for no good reason

Jesabus U. Christ on a pepsi can....

I guess rip 'em out and feel the sun...oh wait, then they would be making a reference to ovens- making people hot

[msanthrope]

73. never attribute to malice what simple stupidity can explain. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

2. Any more shocking than some of the comments?

oddjunk
1 hour ago

So they're going to a place of horrible tragedy, knowing full well what happened there and they're offended by misters?

CravenMoreheadII
1 hour ago

Handy for showering off the ash after a hard day at the bakery.

Rasdus
2 hours ago

Interestingly enough the Jews are offended by the inclusion of a misting system that was put there to improve their visiting environment, yet they turn it around for another propaganda operation. How much money do there want now in damages? These are people who have no problem killing innocent civilian's yet they want to make a big deal out of something that was never meant do anything but help.

IncinerateWhtysChldrn
2 hours ago

I wonder what kind of freakout one could get out of these boobs on Ash Wednesday?

R223
4 hours ago

I can tell you that you will NEVER be able to satisfy these people, the more you give them the more they want, Germany offered Israel 89 BILLION dollars for Anything that Any Jewish person lost during WW2,Israel accepted But they still want back the possession's too now AND keep the money they accepted. They are professional sponges.

In other words...
4 hours ago

Keep the misters, move the Israelis.

SuperDave333
4 hours ago

Let's get over our hurt feelings. The holocaust occurred a very long time ago so get over it. The Political Correctness Police need to calm down. This site needs to be hallowed ground and stop being a tourist attraction. That part is ridiculous.

robabeh1
5 hours ago

Let's sue Poland and get some money for the people the Poles emotionally distressed.

bokertovyeladim
5 hours ago

Auschwitz was home to the worst crime ever committed by human beings. There's nothing about it that wasn't murderous, literally. These misters, on the other hand, can be something of a life saver on a hot, humid day.

kbbpll
1 hour ago

@bokertovyeladim Did you know that at Sand Creek the US Calvary made hatbands out of women's genitalia? "Worst crime ever committed by human beings" is subjective.

Mr.Insight
5 hours ago

Do they ever run out of things to complain about?

GJack8
6 hours ago

Do these Jewish youth realize that they aren't the only ones visiting this historic place, and that maybe the elderly NEED some way to cool off from the heat? Typical Jews only thinking of themselves, and claiming to be "offended" by everything so that they get special treatment...

Seems some of the commenters didn't bother to read the actual article. Surprise.

[vkkv]

27. Keeping a LIST, huh? hmmmm. seems awfully extreme..

[Behind the Aegis]

30. A list? It was in the comment section of the article.

Hardly "keeping a list" but the comments show the disdain and anti-Semitism many seem to enjoy.

[leftynyc]

34. How interesting that was

the point taken by your post. Not the ugly antisemitism - but the fact you had the nerve to post it.

[Skittles]

35. very fitting that your post count is 666

any comment about the actual comments? Or do you too think it was "long time ago" and those people should just "get over it"?

[sufrommich]

46. That's what you think is "extreme"? Not the neo nazis

posting anti semitic shit?

[leftynyc]

62. Apparently so

The antisemitism doesn't even warrant a mention by that poster - who has also proved he/she thinks shoving words into people's mouths is an effective way to discuss.

[yardwork]

60. What the hell does that mean?

What list?

[The Second Stone]

3. "I was in shock. It was a punch to the gut."

If an Auschwitz tour doesn't leave you in shock, disturbed, crying and feeling like you've had a punch to the gut and wanting to throw up, then something is seriously wrong with you.

[iandhr]

4. The New England Holocaust memorial in Boston has misting structures that you walk through.

[Schmice2]

6. But it's not Auschwitz

[DemoTex]

5. My dad was one of the first US Army officers through the gates of Dachau

He would not like this story, at all.

[LittleGirl]

7. Good grief

It's been hot as Hades here in Europe lately. Try that without a/c and those misting systems would be a welcome cool down. These kids are stupid and just looking for something to complain about.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. Good grief, indeed...from the article...

According to Bolka and reported by Ynet News, Israeli youths who were visiting the museum used the mist showers to cool down, but the placement of the showers made many older visitors angry.

[DRoseDARs]

18. Yeah, that tells us the youths didn't read anything into it...

...while the elders read way too much into it.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and a mist shower is not a homage to Nazi gas chambers.

[Behind the Aegis]

19. It tells us that youth aren't aware of history.

Oh wait, that could be as much of a miss as your comment. No one said it was an "homage."

[DRoseDARs]

21. They aren't aware they're visiting a Nazi Death Camp?

BtA, love you, but you wanna take run on that one?

[Behind the Aegis]

23. Your comment was as off the mark as the one I made.

I thought it was clear I wasn't claiming that about the youth. Setting up showers, of any type, at the front gate was bad form, so it is very easy to see how older people would be offended. I find it really disrespectful, almost as disrespectful as not understanding the POV of the older generation in regards to this issue.

[DRoseDARs]

26. BtA, I've never had issue with you in the past, not about to start now.

We're just going to have to disagree on this. I see it as a generational thing between the visitors, nothing more. I won't pursue this further.

[Behind the Aegis]

29. I am OK with "agreeing to disagree".

I do agree it is generational.

[William769]

42. You are?

Surprising. It's off the wall remarks like that, that seem to make it ok.

Friend or not, I'd be damned If I would just agree to disagree.

Just saying.

I'll leave it ay that.

[kag]

50. But, but, but...

This is DU!!! Where are the recriminations? The indignation? The name-calling? (This is a thread about Auschwitz, and I saw ZERO references to Hitler!!) The alerting on a post or comment because it hurt your widdew feewings? The invoking of the Almighty Skinner with threats to BAN YOU FROM DU!

So very disappointing. You must both be trolls.

[Chef Eric]

37. The story doesn't say that the older visitors thought it was an "homage."

It merely says that they found it shocking, and I can't say I blame them.

[steve2470]

70. those misters were a huge mistake

and so are so many comments in this thread. Sigh.

[jtuck004]

44. It's not the kids - they have a better handle on it than the adults. They are using them to get cool

Notice the pic - they can't hardly find an empty spot.

I don't know. Brightly colored, outdoor pavilion - one could certainly let the symbolism control them, as the story said the older ones did, but the younger folks had a fine old time.

We had a war with Japan - all sides were pretty brutal, but if you were prisoners of or fought them, is there any association with their cars today? The kids don't think so, but I know at least one WWII veteran who wouldn't sit in one.

If there are many new generations, as we burn things up and get rid of food and water for the planet, it seems they will have to get their own things to remember to hate.

[Electric Monk]

9. Whaaaat? Seriously? It never occurred to them? nt

[davidpdx]

10. Perhaps if it was really that hot,

then they ought to temporarily close it in the afternoon out of an abundance of caution for tourists.

I did look up the temperature, it was 94 F with 34% humidity. Really if they had provided ice water that would have been enough.

[NavyDem]

11. 94 F maybe.

94 C is 201 F.

[davidpdx]

12. Ah good catch

I meant F, but live in Korea and have started to think C all the time.

[NavyDem]

14. LOL

I can see how that would happen. I had to actually use a converter. I don't do metric very well.

[davidpdx]

17. Well you know how they always threatened that we (in the US) were going to change over to the metric

system and that never happened. So I think most of us never really cared much. Then you go live overseas and say "oh shit".

[NavyDem]

20. Ha Ha!

Yep. I spend probably 25% of my year somewhere over seas, so I get the "Oh Shit!" look on my face a lot.

[Behind the Aegis]

13. I think it had more to do with the name (showers) and the location (at the front gate).

I don't know if it was done with malice, but, IMO, it was done without thinking.

[Lithos]

33. Do not think it was done with malice

I think the youth would have picked up on that. However, I believe it is a classic case of misunderstanding and ignorance.

It would be sort of like taking a bunch of front line veterans back to fallujah Iraq in 40 years and shooting off a bunch of fireworks to honor them as they got off the buses. The fireworks of course being a PTSD trigger would cause a negative reaction. The veterans and their immediate families and maybe anyone in the military would get the inappropriateness of this, the grand kids and outsiders would likely not and maybe even see it as the intended honor.

[vkkv]

15. Seems distasteful given the context, but then, if a New York artist who happen to be Jewish came up

with it as a performance art piece, it would be lauded by all and thought of as great "art".

[Behind the Aegis]

16. How did you reach that conclusion?

It wasn't performance art, and if it were, it would be judged differently, because it wouldn't be the same thing. What a bizarre post.

[vkkv]

24. And there's your proof, a LOT of people are more open-minded than yourself.

"IF it was.." That is what I said.. IF it was a N.Y. artist who happen to be...

Does everything have to be "oh my, my religion is offended by this!" ?
Isn't that a bit high-horse B.S.?

[Behind the Aegis]

28. That isn't proof.

You are comparing apples to car parts. Art is going to viewed differently than something which is administrative because they aren't the same thing. I find it interesting you needed to add the artist was Jewish and don't seem to understand the point of it.

[JI7]

36. is this the same one that replied to you in another thread

With something thst had nothing to do with the topic but seemed to think jews are getting special privilege ?

[leftynyc]

38. I noticed that as well

I guess poster could be more obvious but it's hard to see how.

[JustAnotherGen]

59. This needs MIRT

Seriously. He knows what he's doing.

[NBachers]

22. Not appropriate

[leftynyc]

39. Go ahead

And tell people, some of whom still have tattoos on their arms, that watched their families marched into the gas chambers, that they're attached to suffering.

[1000words]

65. I am of Romani heritage

An entire branch of my family tree was wiped out.

[leftynyc]

68. And do you tell them

they're addicted to suffering?

[renegade000]

31. Out of respect they should apologize and take it down, but I guess I can't really pile on them...

The workers there probably had the best of intentions and feel awful now.

[DesertFlower]

32. that would totally freak me out

i think anyone who is familiar with the history would be.

[leftynyc]

43. You would think so

until you read some of the posts right here on this thread. Apparently these Israeli's are nothing but whiny little babies for knowing their history according to people that are supposed to be liberals.

[Steviehh]

40. Much ado about

Nothing. Open air misters are great, have used them at festivals and find them refreshing.

Sick of Israeli outrage at slights.

[yeoman6987]

57. Well you will love and appreciate the attached comments then

Enjoy them as you say you feel the same way they do.

[sufrommich]

45. The most shocking thing about this story is that

a whole group of people,from the managers that approved it to the workers who installed it,never stood back and thought "wait a minute,this ain't right".

[Sunlei]

47. Europe will have to start to use air conditioning. It was horrible hot this summer for tourists.

It is pretty thoughtless, the mist showerheads look just like the gas showerheads.

They can move them away from when people first get off the tourist bus, use fans or tell people the bus remains open as an air conditioned cooling spot.

[jwirr]

48. The Jewish visitors should have been warned what

they were walking into before they were exposed to this. Because it truly is insensitive.

However, I wonder if the non-Jewish visitor would actually be helped by these misters to get the feeling of walking into a real working death trap. To understand what it was like for the Jewish people to walk in there many years ago. To walk into a innocent looking bath chamber and find out too late that it was anything but innocent. Does the mister recreate the horror of the feelings those chambers represent? It did for the Jewish visitors. Does it for the non-Jewish visitor?

I have helped set up some museum displays and the goal is to make it as realistic as possible. From the reaction of the Jewish visitors they have accomplished this. The question is do the non-Jewish visitors see the reality of the situation or do they see it just as a way to cool off?

I am not sure that was not the intention of the misters in the first place - to create the reality of the situation.

[navarth]

49. There are a few really tone-deaf posters in this thread

trolls, maybe.

But seriously how can anyone not understand how an older Israeli would have NUCLEAR bad associations with these things.

People, even if you think it's stupid: shut the fuck up. Those older folks have earned the right to be horrified at that. Because the younger people that didn't live through it don't have the same reaction don't make it any better.

Seriously how much does it cost you to just step aside and give some props to how those old people feel? It's fucked up to attack them even if you think they're wrong. What The Fuck.

[Nye Bevan]

52. I wonder what percentage of the young people actually know about the fake showers

in the death chambers? I imagine the number would be disappointingly low.

[navarth]

64. Very sad if true.

But still I can't wrap my mind around some of the posts here. Some people need to take their generosity and compassion pills....seems they have a deficiency there.

[steve2470]

71. yep you nailed it nt

[Nye Bevan]

51. Horribly offensive to anyone who knows the history of the Holocaust.

And if they really needed to provide a cool mist it would have been possible to do so without the awful "shower" symbolism:

[byronius]

53. One has to wonder at the mindset of the official who planned and ordered this.

Probably not an elderly Jewish person.

I am curious -- Poland has a terrible reputation for racism -- was this a private right-wing 'invisible joke'? They're perfectly capable of crap like that. "What? Me?"

The comments on that site, and some of the comments on this thread, are fucking disgusting. Putrid.

I toured Dachau as a child. I would never be the same. I stuck my head in an oven, and realized I was looking at human ash coating the steel --

The 'get over it' crowd needs a good swift kick in the ass.

[yeoman6987]

58. I toured dachau twice and changed my life

What they went through is heartbreaking and some of the comments on here and the website are totally frightening. Some say get over it? I'd say they believe the same for African Americans. We are in some hurt in the world when some feel the need to believe as they do. Scary!!!!

[Throd]

55. Hard to believe nobody would have recognized the symbolism while installing those.

[geek tragedy]

61. for context

http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Showers-installed-outside-Auschwitz-remind-visitors-of-gas-chambers-413782

Despite the outrage, however, the local Jewish community and Holocaust victims’ advocates indicated that they believe that the whole matter had been blown out of pro - portion, although they said the negative reaction was understandable.

“Temperatures reached 40 degrees C and the administration wanted to ensure the safety of their visitors,” Chief Rabbi Michael Schudrich told the Post .

“In retrospect, a more sensitive construction and location could have been found. However, I am moved by the concern for the welfare of visitors shown by the administration.”

Piotr Kadlcik, the immediate past president of the Union of Jewish Religious Communities in Poland, agreed.

“The Germans twisted the concept of shower – a source of cleanness and relief – into the equivalent of pure horror. We shall not follow this path,” he commented. “The unprecedented heat wave during this summer required proper measures. Its a sign of care for the visitors by muse - um staff.”

not unreasonable to take offense, obviously, but the intentions were good

[hrmjustin]

63. Poor decision making on their part for doing this.

[Rozlee]

66. The youths that did this are very far removed from the memories of their elders.

But, you'd have thought they'd heard the history enough to have some sort of perspective. At the same time though, a great many elderly visitors go to the camp every year as part of pilgrimages and to pay respects to loved ones and family members who perished. I got a bit of heat exhaustion in Disney World and revived considerably with some of the mini fans they sold attached to water bottles that you could put icy water in. You could just mist yourself with ice water while you walked in that gawd-awful humidity and those itty bitty fans would cool you off too. They could have sold those or handed them out to visitors entering and, for the sake of recycling, retrieved them again when they left. Those kids had the right idea to cool hot dusty tourists. The delivery just sucked.

[0rganism]

67. next time, just go with the cola machine

putting something showery in front of a site like Auschwitz is ugly and insensitive.

[steve2470]

69. So many tone-deaf comments in this thread

I would alert but the way DU is today, they would all be defeated.

Does someone have to directly quote Mein Kampf to get hidden ?

[leftynyc]

72. +1000

[byronius]

74. Kinda bizarre.

WTF?