Travel that Teaches: the Small Fortress at Terezin, the Paradise Ghetto

Last week I published a blog about Terezin, and travel that teaches, but no blog on Terezin, or Theresienstadt, would be complete without talking about the Small Fortress, where horrors of unbelievable proportion were perpetrated. The fortress served as the Gestapo’s prison from 1940-45, and the vast majority of prisoners there were Czech Resistance or Czech Communists. 1500 Jews who were fighting with the resistance, or who broke rules at Terezin, were also imprisoned there. I will let the photos speak for themselves.

In front of the Small Fortress are graves. On Jewish graves are stones, or pebbles. The stones represent the permanence of the soul of the departed. Flowers die, and are a sign of death, but stones do not die and neither does the soul.

A fitting entry into the Small Fortress.

Administration. “The admission process lasted several hours as people became numbers and were often tortured. Then inmates gave up their personal belongings in the Effects Room. Each guard unit stationed in the Guards’ Room included about 110 Waffen SS soldiers. Prisoners received old Czechoslovak army uniforms in the Storage Room. Women kept their civilian attire. On the breast and back of the shirts was a yellow star if the inmate was Jewish or triangles denoting various categories. For example, political prisoners wore red triangles, and pink triangles were reserved for homosexuals. The incarcerated also received clogs, a blanket, a metal bowl and spoon, and all men were shaved bald.” Private Prague Guide

“Work Makes you Free” was a common Nazi phrase. Prisoners didn’t work at the Small Fortress, but the illusion was kept.

Cell and Barrack Blocks. Cells held up to 90 prisoners, separated by nationality and religion. One toilet, one sink, and water had to be reused.

These small “solitary confinement” cells held 60-90 people, if you can even begin to imagine how horrible it would have been.

Group showers were given once every 3 or 4 months.

This room was used for torturing the prisoners.

The SS family housing can be seen attached to the Little Fortress.

This lovely building housed SS officers and their families.

School for the SS officer’s children, and playground.

We must always remember that the Holocaust happened, and millions suffered. The truth is important.

“For the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” – Elie Wiesel

“Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” — Anne Frank

“For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.” — Simon Wiesenthal, Death camp survivor and Nazi hunter

“Jews survived all the defeats, expulsions, persecutions and pogroms, the centuries in which they were regarded as a pariah people, even the Holocaust itself, because they never gave up the faith that one day they would be free to live as Jews without fear.” — Jonathan Sacks

“Thou shalt not be a victim, thou shalt not be a perpetrator, but, above all, thou shalt not be a bystander.” – Yehuda Bauer

“I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” – Elie Wiesel

The Benefits of Travel that Teaches

247365EU

November 28, 2019 at 1:26 pm

Hi, I came across your post about the Small Fortress. I am really impressed by the photos. Would you mind if I shared those on my blog about Terezin? Of course I give a credit to your page. Thank you.

- Tam Warner
  
  December 3, 2019 at 8:32 am
  
  As long as there is a link to my blog! Thank you!