Perhaps Dachau Concentration Camp is one of the most meaningful places I
have ever visited. This Camp was a silent witness to the horrendous Nazi regime. I have known about the Holocaust because the
famous movie, Schindler’s List.
However, seeing the real thing is incomparable to the one you just see on TV.
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| Quarters Used to Stand Here |
I can’t remember exactly why I placed this historic site on my list to visit, but I think it was influenced by a film.
We arrived late so all the museums and the tourist center were closed; however, the
park itself was open. From the parking area, we had to walk some meters to reach
the camp.
One area that initially struck my attention was
the ruin of the loading area where the Jews were unloaded from the trains to be
detained as slaves. From that area, they were taken to the gated quarters. On
the gate, a misleading phrase – “Arbeit Macht Frei” (Work makes you free) was written.
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| False Promise |
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| What Remains of the Former Unloading Dock |
So I opened the same gate leading to the
quarters where they were once built and upon seeing the totality of the place I
could not help but imagine the terror the Jews – young and old, men and women –
had experienced from the ruthless Nazis. Tears fell from my eyes – I couldn’t
help it. You will just feel it. I couldn’t imagine how much they had suffered
and how desperately they hoped, day and night, that the cruelty would end.
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| The Gate to the Quarters |
It was a huge camp so we only stayed in the
barracks. The nearby crematorium was also closed, but I could see a glimpse of
it from the gate.
I left the place with the same conviction
as the phrase written on the memorial wall – NEVER AGAIN.
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