Reflections on Auschwitz

Visiting Auschwitz profoundly affected Matthew Sharp, who recalls the vivid sensory details of his experience five years later. On a warm, sunny day, the beauty of the surroundings contradicted the horrific history he had studied, creating a dissonance that made the visit surreal. The stark contrasts between the images he had seen in photographs and the reality of the camp left him in disbelief, particularly regarding its physical scale. This sensory experience highlighted how visiting such a site is crucial for understanding the immense brutality that took place there, something that academic study alone cannot convey.