Dachau

Friday, Brandon and I both had the day off so we decided to take day trip to Dachau and visit the concentration camp memorial, something we have been wanting to do for some time. I didn't really know what to expect but was excited about seeing it and learning more about what actually happened there. It is outside of Munich and took a few hours to get there so we only had the afternoon, from about 2 until 5 to check it out. I thought we had plenty of time but quickly realized that I could have spent the whole day there.There is an information center when you first arrive and we decided to get the audio tour which is an electronic paddle you carry with you. There are information boards all around the camp and corresponding numbers to type into the guide and it will give you the appropriate info.
You first walk up to the gate and right outside are the remains of the old train stop where prisoners were dropped off. Then there is the steel gate which says "ARBEIT MACHT FREI" which means work will set you free. When you enter you are looking out onto the roll call field and to the right is the building which housed the kitchen and enrollment areas and to the left is where the barracks were. The first 2 barracks still remain and you can walk through them but the rest are gone with just memorial stones at the head. In the building that housed the kitchen there is now a museum. There were about 12 rooms and each section told a different part of the story. It started out telling about how Hitler came into power and all the propaganda used to make people hate Jews and really anyone who was different. It went on to tell how the camps were built and how it coincided with political activity at the time. Immigrant, Jews, homosexuals, convicts, political activists, ans others were all taken as prisoners, sometimes several times. It told about the living conditions or lack there of and different kinds of torture or medical experiments used on prisoners. There was chilling 2o minute documentary as well, which showed horrifying footage of the camp. At the rear of the camp was the crematorium. Next to that was a gassing room disguised as a shower, however this was never the used.
It was very interesting and I'm glad I got to go, but it was disturbing. I just will never be able to wrap my mind around how a group of people could do that to another.