Passing original barbed wire, I entered the site through the same gate the prisoners entered, where there's a sign that reads "Work will set you free." The prisoners thought they were entering a work camp. These original artifacts served as a sharp reminder of what happened within the borders. If prisoners stepped onto the grass, they were immediately shot. Many committed suicide this way.
Dachau was one of the first concentration camps, and it set up a template for many of the camps that followed. It is sadly unique in that it housed and in some way experienced all the types of atrocities that happened across all concentration camps. Between 1922 and 1942, approximately 200,000 people perished at Dachau. I saw the barracks, crematorium, memorials, administration and "sanitation" buildings and the museum of countless artifacts, pictures and stories. I continue to pray for those we lost.
Feeling depleted, I met up with Adam as I was leaving the camp. We took the train back to the city and headed to the festival grounds to see it during the day. There were more people during the day, and the beer tents were just as full as we'd witnessed the past two nights.
We enjoyed dinner from one of the food vendors and spent our time walking around the grounds taking it in one last time. We walked back to the hotel to get our bag and we used our free beer and pretzel coupon we'd received during check-in. We took the train to the airport and picked up a shuttle to the hotel a couple of miles away in preparation for our return to the States.
1 comment:
Wow Allison - this post reminds me of Mr. Hampton and AP World History. (I think you had that class with me.) I remember his description of his trip to Dachau, and how he implored us all to go there if we ever had the chance.
Must of been somber and sobering. What a sad moment in history, but one we must always remember lest history rear it's head to repeat.
Post a Comment