Oswiecim

The actual name of the place is Oswiecim. The Germans changed it to Auschwitz in 1939. Oswiecim is in the midst of a huge industrial area; lots of coal still being dug out of the earth, lots of old and new industry going on. The Germans liked Oswiecim initially for its ready coal. Auschwitz III included a huge synthetic rubber plant, the ruins still there, "employing" thousands of its captives, making rubber from coal.

The "tourist center" in Oswiecim, located in the huge over-flow parking lot for Auschwitz, is the best such facility we have seen. In addition to inexpensive parking places for RVs, with water, WC, showers, etc., the center itself had a fully-staffed tourist information center, a gift/souvenir store, a tobacco/sundries store, a post office, a bank/automat, a bier garden, a restaurant, a casino, and billiards. The only thing missing was a small grocery, but it was right across the street. Best of all, the restaurant offered free wifi.