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"Train of 1,000" at the Auschwitz Memorial
On the 7 and 8 May, one thousand young Europeans visited the Auschwitz Memorial Site and Museum. They came to Poland as part of the special project “Train of 1,000.” The journey from Brussels to Auschwitz was organized to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and the end of World War II.
Pupils from ten European countries, including Belgium, Hungary, France and Italy arrived in Poland after a 25-hour journey, which began in the Belgian capital.
Prior to the departure of the train in Brussels, the president of the Belgian Auschwitz Foundation, co-organizer of the project, appealed to the youth to adopt a spirit of tolerance. He recollected that in the years 1942-44, 25,267 Jews were deported to Auschwitz from Mechelen - in 25 transports each carrying 1,000 persons. The oldest was 92 years old and the youngest 36 days. Less than 5% survived.
For two days, the youngsters visited the sites of the former German Nazi concentration and extermination camp. They were accompanied by several former prisoners, who recounted their experiences during the war.
A participant of the project An-Sofie Boutsen stressed that it is extremely important for all the young people, regardless of their origin, to be aware that things such as Auschwitz and the Holocaust must not be repeated. “Therefore, it is important to know what happened in Auschwitz. Every young person should visit this place and get the chance to experience it. Here, we are all equals - our origins and the differences between us are irrelevant. We are all humans,” she said.
“A visit here testifies to the fact that all this is true, that it actually happened. Watching the movie or reading the book is one thing but seeing with you own eyes e.g. shoes that belong to victims or human hair, leaves a great impression on everyone,” Nasir Akaouch stressed.
At the end of their visit the participants of the “Train of 1,000” took part in a commemoration ceremony in Birkenau, which was attended among others by the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz. "Out of the rubble and the ruins that was Europe after the war, brave men and women set out to build a new Europe as they vowed "Never again". A Europe of democracy and freedom, of justice and human rights," he said.
"You who have come together in Auschwitz from all over Europe to honour the dead, to keep the memory alive and to never allow the old demons to return; you will inherit this Europe. It will be upon you to fulfill the pledge to the survivors of "Never again" and realize their hope of building a better world. And as I look at you, you who have reversed the journey of death into a journey of hope, I am not anxious about the future," he stressed.
The director of the Auschwitz Memorial Dr. Piotr M.A. Cywiński said that the presence of young Europeans in a place of such great tragedy is precious and valuable. “The visit amid the remains of Auschwitz is not only a history lesson that dates back to seven decades ago. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the sources of what led to the creation of a common and united Europe after the war,” he emphasized.
“Train of 1,000" is an educational project that aims to preserve the memory of the Holocaust. The pupils who visited Poland spent the previous year preparing for the journey. They participated in discussions about the Holocaust and genocide. They also visited the camp in Breendonk and the former transit camp in the Dossin barracks in Malines, from where more than 25,000 Jews were deported to Auschwitz, most of them immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe.
The project, whose patrons are the King of Belgium - Philippe I Coburg and the Grand Duke of Luxembourg - Henry, was an initiative of the Belgian Auschwitz Foundation, the Institute for Veterans-INiG and the International Federation of Resistance Fighters.
