On March 22, 1933, a few weeks after Adolf Hitler had been appointed Reich Chancellor, a concentration camp for political prisoners was set up in Dachau. This camp served as a model for all later concentration camps and as a "school of violence" for the SS men under whose command it stood. In the twelve years of its existence over 200,000 persons from all over Europe were imprisoned here and in the numerous subsidary camps. 41,500 were murdered. On April 29 1945, American troops liberated the survivors.
This is the main entrance to Dachau. As you pass through the main door it says above "Work will set you free." The Nazi's covered up the truth about Dachau by passing it off as a work camp where prisoners learned new job skills before they were released. Obviously they never left once they passed through this door.
One of the main sets of "barracks" for the "prisoners"
In English this says " May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933-1945 because they resisted Nazism help to unite the living for the defense of peace and freedom in respect for their fellow man."
One of the multiple guard towers almost every few feet.
Door to barracks.
Theirs beds....
Their toilets..
Their wash room....
Main yard where they would have formation every morning. Sometimes Nazi guards would randomly execute prisoners while in formation....
This is the main tribute in the camp...
People still come and leave roses in the barbed wire fencing...
The chapel of resolution...
The path that leads to the execution ranges... there was such an odd feeling in the air
One of many execution gas chambers... they prisoners were told they could take a shower.. then they were gased. There is also hooks in the ceiling where Nazi guards would sometimes execute one prisoner at a time.
Main crematorium....
Room where bodies were stored until prisoners cremated them...
Decontamination chambers...
Main execution range with blood ditch and run off.....
All unknown bodies are buried here...
Crematorium from outside...
This fence line in particular is where prisoners would throw themselves into the fence so guards would shoot them...
Guard tower they would have been shot from...
Places like this should make us all feel lucky to have the life we have. No matter if we are short on money, our family is far away or we don't have everything we want we are still lucky to be free and make our own choices. Have a great Thanksgiving wherever you are...
Your dad and I are so touched by this post, as hard as it is the look at these pics....I am so glad you shared this so that us and others can have the experience of seeing it through your eyes. I can only imagine what it was like for you to actually be there and walk the grounds......how humbling.
ReplyDeleteHappy Thanksgiving to You, Steven and Trent....we love you guys so very much! Mom
On my visit to Germany in 2006, I really wanted to visit Dachau, but it didn't fit into our schedule. We ended up traveling to France, and visited Der Struthof instead. It was a very sobering experience.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing, being from the U.S. and not being a traveler outside of my country. It was eye opening to see. It is hard to believe the atrocities that were done there from the pictures of today.
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