I think that’s a good age to go, and I’m glad you’re taking her. It’s important we remember these horrible places and times in history.

I wanted to go to Birkenau, but after all the time we spent in Auschwitz, neither of us could handle it. Definitely something I don’t think either of us will ever forget.

Well, he was 12 when we saw it. We just couldn’t handle the idea of seeing Birkenau after Auschwitz.

While I don’t know your son, I tend to agree with your decision to wait until later, and maybe after your own experience. At 7, he would be able to experience it, but he’ll be able to remember it much better if he goes when he’s older. And remembering is so, so important.

I did a guided tour, as well, and I think it was worth it. The tour guides are clearly emotionally invested in their work, and their narration was moving in and of itself. They do allow you to roam around the premises after the tour if you want to visit Birkenau later.

Your comments about Birkenau are exactly why we didn’t go. After I saw how deeply I was affected by Auschwitz, which is far more mellow, there was no way I was going to Birkenau. I’m still glad I made that choice, too, because it took me several days to get past the emotions from Auschwitz I.

I was with a group on my trip – not my usual choice of travel, but I felt that being surrounded by fellow Jews gave me a sense of comfort and perspective I couldn’t have had from solo travel there. We went on a group tour, and I have to say it was extremely beneficial in my experience. I learned many more details than what was written in the exhibits, and we also lucked out in that we had a wonderful tour guide. She gave us a lot of insight on not only life in the camps, but life as a Pole both during WWII and the mentality that came afterwards. She was extremely sensitive to our emotions, and gave us as much time as we desired at each exhibit. So I just wanted to point out that the groups can be great there as well, and even though I can be quite a picky tour taker, I really enjoyed/appreciated this tour.

Also, though mentally really difficult, Auschwitz-Birkenau is quite a different experience from Auschwitz I. It is enormous, and the buildings give a much better sense of what life in most concentration camps was like. It’s also not similarly set up as a museum – there are very few signs and written facts, instead replaced by memorials, photos, and rocks of mourning.There are basic shacks for all the bunks, for the toilet “facilities”, for the gas chambers, and the vast emptiness is daunting. It also still has the infamous train tracks leading inside, which I think stirred up a lot within the people who witnessed them. It made Auschwitz I seem much more pleasant, since it was an army barrack before the war. I personally think Birkenau felt creepier, sadder, and it was harder to stomach, but in that, I also felt more connected to the people’s stories than I did in Auschwitz I. Both sites are valuable, but I think Birkenau has a very different effect on people. If you ever go back, I highly recommend seeing it.

An individual can do the same things if they’re willing to speak up. If you aren’t doing a guided tour, there aren’t any tickets to purchase either. But for people with that kind of budget and who are interested in that, it is certainly an option.