Dachau Concentration Camp

I know it's long overdue but as promised here are some pics of our trip to Dachau two weeks ago. Paul's Mom left on Wednesday but I have been swamped since then getting caught up on things here at house.

There isn't much to say about Dachau. The pictures speak for itself. It is a very emotional experience visiting a concentration camp and even more of an educational experience for the kids. I was amazed at how well the two behaved. They really took everything in and asked so many questions.

Dachau was opened in 1933 and is Northwest of Munich. It was the first concentration camp open by the Nazi party. You can read more about Dachau here...
DACHAU

I think the pictures speak for itself...

This gate entering the camp reads "Work Brings Freedom"



The Jourhaus (the gate house)



Roll Call Yard.

They would line the prisoners here to do roll call. If not everyone was accounted for the prisoners could stand there for hours and face harsh punishment for hours until everyone was accounted.


A memorial that was built in the middle of the roll call yard in the late 1960's



Prisoner Barracks.

There were 32 barracks that could hold upwards to 200 people in each building. After the war they were all torn down. Later on two of the barracks buildings were rebuilt as a reminder of what the living conditions were like for the prisoners.



These rows are where the 32 barracks use to stand.


The most sombering part of the tour was visiting the Crematorium area.

The old crematorium. This crematorium was built in 1940 a year later it was already working beyond capacity. It remained operational until 1943.



The large crematorium known as barracks "X" was built between 1942 and 1943.



The gas chamber...




Behind Barracks "X" is the Memorial gardens. This is where the ashes of thousands were buried.








Also behind Barracks "X" was an area where the Nazis would execute the prisoners.
They would line the prisoners up here against this wall and kill them.


This was known as the blood ditch where they would throw prisoners in here and start firing.



More pictures from our day at Dachau. Even though we spent the entire day there we were still not able to see everything.