A Tribute.

A few days ago Sequoia and I traveled to Dachau, about ten miles outside of Munich in Germany. [The following are excerpts from Wikipedia] Now a popular residential area for people working in Munich, the town is home to the site of what was the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany. Located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory, Dachau was opened on March 22nd, 1933. Dachau served as a prototype and model for the other Nazi concentration camps that followed. Almost every community in Germany had members taken away to these camps. The camp was in use from 1933 to 1960, for twelve years.

For me, this visit was one of my first and surely the most prominent example of history coming to life. The explanation of those horrible events comprising what we now know as the Holocaust was always that part of history class that gave me chills but was just inconceivable enough to seem like nothing more than a riveting movie plot. Having had the opportunity to visit an actual concentration camp that was involved in the tragedy has offered me some invaluable insight. Unquestionably, heavy feelings are provoked from merely being in the presence of history so taut with gloom. Mostly I have realized, being no less grateful for having had the experience, that I am small compared to this event. My wordy descriptions are only diminutive, petty attempts at justifying what is far beyond my naive grasp. I am humbled by the experience and offer only this small picture montage to mark my respect.



At each tree, there was once a barrack containing beds, toilets, cabinets for clothings, etc. Each concrete foundation marks the previous spot of one of these barracks.


The bunk beds that prisoners slept in. Some had dividers, some were more trough-like similar to this one. The camp was originally meant for 6,000 inhabitants and by the end contained 36,000.






"Work will make you free."



Gas chamber disguised as showers.