I’ve been waiting to post this. I’m still not ready. This will be one of those posts where my pictures do most of the talking. Last week, on a rainy day, Steve (Dave’s best friend), Tess & I drove to Dachau. Tess had a doctors appointment halfway to Munich, we decided to make an afternoon of it. It was a very heavy, sobering, afternoon.

Like Dave, Steve is a former soldier. Like all soldiers German history fascinates him. Since Dachau is so close to our home, up we drove. The drive was easy, relatively traffic free, and almost no rain. Once we got to Dachau it started raining. Luckily we have a stash of umbrella’s in the car and we stayed mostly dry.

Despite it being a weekday, despite the rain, there were several tour groups, families and people on their own. Dachau is not a pleasant visit. I’m awed that people still visit. Still remember. Still care. Even more so for the families, German and foreign alike, that are showing their children history. Knowledge is power. This is how you keep history from repeating itself.

We walked silently down the winding path from the visitors centers to the gates of Dachau. Talking seemed inappropriate, even there outside of camp. My heart first filled my throat just outside the gates, the broken, barely there train platform. The train platform that saw thousands of prisoners arrive. Many to their final home.

My eyes welled up at the sight of the iron gate with the infamous words “Arbeit Macht Frei”. I wasn’t able to take a photo then, I took the one below when we left. I needed time to compose myself. I felt the ghosts of the past march through me as I passed through the gates. It is a surreal and overwhelming place.

Dachau is filled with facts. Numbers. Dates. Photo’s. Pictures of prisoners. Lost little treasures. It is a big, empty place filled with memories. Horrible, terrible memories. I didn’t last long. Neither did Tess. We left Steve to wander alone and went back to the visitor center, where we couldn’t even drink a warming cup of coffee. The thought of all those prisoners. All those people. Deprived of food, water, humanity. History must never repeat itself.

The train platform right outside of Dachau, were prisoners were brought in.

The infamous quote: “Arbeit Macht Frei” or “Work sets you free”. Dachau did everything but set people free.

Only two long barracks remain standing. Reconstructions. A stark reminder of the 34 barracks that once stood there.

May the example of those who were exterminated here between 1933 – 1945 because they resisted nazism help to unite the living for the defence of peace and freedom and in respect for their fellow men

This photo is gorgeous in it’s original colors. There should be nothing beautiful about this place.

Part of the maintenance building that houses the museum.

12 years. 206,206 prisoners. 31,951 deaths.

The first full photo you see in the museum. They got much harder to see after this one.

“our last hope”

Prisoners Walk to the Gas Chamber

I can’t help but imagine walking here back then.

This Book of Rememberance holds the names of the 33,205 victims and is also dedicated to the 8,300 murdered men and women whose names can no longer be found.

I stepped out of the museum. It is overwhelming.

Originally intended to hold one person per bunk, each held 3 or more prisoners.

Double rows of toilets were designed to strip prisoners of their dignity.

The maintenance buildings, viewed from the prisoner barracks.

The empty space behind the trees were lined with 34 barracks. At the end of the Long Road are the gas chambers.

Outside Dachau, taken through the chain link fencing, the world is beautiful. Even the sun came out.