Yesterday we went to Mauthausen, Austria's largest labor and concentration camp. The site was chosen because it is near a granite quarry and the Danube. The companies that were based on labor from this site increased in value 10 fold during the early years of the war. The inmates were mostly German and Austrian political prisoners at first. By the end of the war the entire gamut of non-Nazis were there--Spanish, Russian, Polish, Jewish, Slavic Peoples all with their own micro-camp experiences.
All of the terrible stories came to life.
Afterwards, we had lunch and then stopped at Melk Abbey on the way home. Melk Abbey is an insanely Baroque Benedictine monastery. It was especially hard to view and enjoy after Mauthausen. What would Jesus do? Vomit.
However, to be honest, it was nice to have something so visually and mentally absorbing for a bit.
Once the opulence became background noise I was able to enjoy the library. I think the kids said it reminded them of Hogwarts. It defiantly had a fictional feel.
Nice pics. Would love to hear more about this place.
ReplyDeleteYou would, but then you wouldn't.
ReplyDelete