Please note: The following post contains detailed descriptions of torture, genocide, and other violent and heinous acts committed by the Nazis during the Holocaust. It was an emotionally taxing yet rewarding piece for me to compose, and some readers may find it disturbing. I would urge visitors to continue reading at their own discretion. Please also note that most of the factual information contained here was sourced from my two Auschwitz-Birkenau tour guides, informational plaques at the camps, and the official Auschwitz-Birkenau website. I’ll admit, it may seem a bit macabre to kick off the travel section of my blog with personal impressions of my visit to Auschwitz. But for…