1. Location: Auschwitz was a network of German Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II. It was located near the town of O?wi?cim in occupied Poland, about 50 kilometers west of Krakow.
2. Construction: The construction of Auschwitz began in 1940, and it eventually grew into a complex of multiple camps, including Auschwitz I (the main camp), Auschwitz II-Birkenau (the extermination camp), and Auschwitz III-Monowitz (a labor camp).
3. Purpose: Auschwitz played a central role in the Holocaust, serving as the largest site of mass murder during the Holocaust. It was primarily used for the systematic extermination of Jews, along with other targeted groups such as Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, Poles, and others deemed undesirable by the Nazi regime.
4. Gas Chambers and Crematoria: Auschwitz II-Birkenau was equipped with gas chambers and crematoria where mass murder took place. Zyklon B, a cyanide-based pesticide, was used to gas victims in the chambers, and their bodies were disposed of in the crematoria.
5. Victims: It is estimated that over 1.1 million people died at Auschwitz, the majority of whom were Jews. Other victims included tens of thousands of Poles, Romani people, Soviet prisoners of war, and individuals from other nationalities and ethnic groups.
6. Medical Experiments: Notorious Nazi doctor Josef Mengele conducted cruel and inhumane medical experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz, often without their consent. These experiments included studies on twins, genetic conditions, and the effects of various diseases and poisons.
7. Resistance: Despite the overwhelming odds against them, there were instances of resistance among the prisoners at Auschwitz. This resistance took various forms, including underground education, sabotage, and attempts to escape.
8. Liberation: Auschwitz was liberated by the Soviet Red Army on January 27, 1945. The liberation came too late for many of the prisoners, but it marked the end of the camp’s operation as a place of mass murder and suffering.
9. Remembrance: Today, Auschwitz serves as a symbol of the horrors of the Holocaust and a reminder of the consequences of unchecked hatred and bigotry. The site is preserved as a museum and memorial, visited by millions of people each year.
10. Never Again: The phrase “Never Again” has become associated with the memory of the Holocaust and the vow to prevent such atrocities from happening in the future. The lessons of Auschwitz and the Holocaust continue to inform efforts to combat prejudice, discrimination, and genocide worldwide.

Taller than a palm tree

On the island of Kaua?i, palm trees are king. As such there is a law on the books that makes it illegal for any building to be taller than a palm tree. Now, some palm trees can grow to be pretty high; so, we’re guessing there are some standardized techniques employed to ensure their palm trees can grow as high as possible.

Leave indigenous wildlife alone

When you are visiting one of Hawai?i’s amazing state parks, you are not allowed to “annoy” the birds.

No eyesore advertising

On the continent, one of the things that litters the skies and disrupts your views are bulky, garish billboards. But in Hawaii, billboards were outlawed in the 1920s. As a matter of fact, when Hawaii entered the United States as a full-fledged member in 1959, it was the first state in the U.S. to do so. No one complains about this law. Seriously? Who wants to give up view of mauka and rainbows to see gaudy advertising? Exactly.

No double-fisting

Okay, we do have to admit that is a really weird one. Here in Hawaii, did you know that it is illegal for you to have more than one alcoholic beverage in front of you at the same time? Of course, like with all “unique” laws, this rule is part of a larger set of laws and regulations that are meant to manage an individual’s alcohol consumption and to maintain public safety.

Truck bed riding

You’ve heard of calling shotgun! when claiming the front passenger seat of a vehicle. But did you know that if the vehicle is packed that you can ride in the back bed of the truck with no safety requirements needed?

No dairy in a milkshake?

If you get a yummy milkshake in Hawaii, you can rest assured that you are guaranteed to be drinking dairy in that drink. It is illegal to make a milkshake without dairy unless you specifically advertise and inform your customers that it is a dairy alternative being used.

No alcohol prize for you

When you enter into a competition at a shooting gallery in Hawai?i, it is illegal to give you a prize that has alcohol. This pretty much goes without needing much explanation.

Don’t bother the local caves

It is illegal to break off mineral deposits and speleothems from caves. Caves hold a sacred place in Hawaiian culture and tradition. Hawaiians used caves for burials for a millennia. And there were kapu, sacred laws, that regulated these caves.

Leave the sharks alone

Sharks get a bad rap. From the movie Jaws to shark fin soup, humans don’t quite know how to deal with such a powerful creature. To help, there are laws that prohibit you from having a shark fin in your possession. So, leave the sharks alone.

More than 1000 people died at Port Arthur during its 47-year history as a penal settlement, and some people say that the souls of the departed have never left.  Documented ghost stories have been associated with Port Arthur since 1870, and since that time, many people have added to Port Arthur’s haunted reputation with their own accounts of paranormal activity.

1. The convicts built their own prison walls. No thanks.

It’s hard to imagine that they would really care about leaving a few bricks loose! The initial industrial penal settlement was built of timber from the surrounding forest and was home to key manufactories, such as ship building, shoemaking, smithing, and timber and brick making. But by the 1840s, Port Arthur was home to more than 2000 convicts, soldiers, and free officers (and their families), and by 1848 the first stone was laid by the prisoners for the separate prison, which stands as a central attraction today.

2. An ambitious experiment….. but did it work?

Believe it or not, despite all of the cruelties that went on at Port Arthur, the Governor was trialling an ambitious experiment around the philosophy that prisoners could reform while still being punished. The authorities’ aim was to offer its prisoners the opportunity to turn themselves into useful citizens of the future by building a system on punishment and discipline, classification and separation, religious and moral instruction, trade training, and education.

But for the convict who did not abide by the rules, life was harsh. It operated under the system of the separate prison system, which signalled a shift from physical punishment to psychological. For example, food was used to reward well-behaved prisoners, and as punishment for badly behaved prisoners who would receive the bare minimum of bread and water. As a punishment they were also hooded and made to stay silent, to allow time to reflect on what they had done wrong. Many formed a mental illness.

3. Convict tattoos… more than just for decoration.

It’s nice to know some things are woven through history. Go back 180 years, and even convicts had a thing for tattoos. And just like today, they were for many and varied reasons. From purely decorative, to a tribute to a loved one, and even a reminder of a trial date, or in fact when their sentence would be complete. While some of the most common tattoos were that of a woman, a cross or crucifixion, a heart with the initials of a loved one, a man, and a mermaid – the most popular was that of an anchor, which was a symbol for hope.

4. Drawing the short-straw… the life of a soldier

There was no glory in guarding convicts. Speak to most soldiers and they say they train for battle to defend their country and that of their allies. So imagine being called up for duty when there is not only no chance for any of that, you’re across the other side of the world in a place called Van Diemen’s Land. Most regiments posted at Port Arthur regarded it as a low point in their history. Their main job was obviously security, watching over the convicts working in the bush or building boats, and of course chasing after escapees. With their accommodation next to the Commandant’s house, it wasn’t all bad news. Senior offices and their families apparently had busy social lives and enjoyed dinner parties!

5. The beauty of Garden Point.

Most convicts lived a life of heavy labour, and for those already skilled they would be put to work in their trade. But for those men who were too weak for the heavy lifting, you’d find them in the gardens or performing light duties.