A Memorial To A Past We Should Never Forget (Dachau Concentration Camp)

Member Name: Andy.mack

Product:	Dachau Concentration Camp
Date:	26/10/08 (343 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A very interesting and insightful look at an historical site

Disadvantages: A very eerie place tio visit

I've now been to Munich in September for the last 3 years and for the 2 previous to this year I'd wanted to visit the Dachau Concentration Camp. A lot of people had asked me why I would want to go somewhere like that and to be honest I never really had a proper answer. It was one of those trips I'd thought about my first time in Munich and while it was no doubt going to be a sobering trip, I felt that it would be hugely worthwhile. On this my third trip to Munich we finally made the trip, on a day the Centre was actually open, but more about that later.

The town of Dachau is located about 20 kilometres North West of Munich and can easily be accessed by both train and car. We travelled there by train, using the railway service from Munich hauptbahnhof to Dachau on S2. From the station the Concentration camp is approximately a 3km walk along the path of remembrance. It is also possible to get the bus from the station to the Camp and this cost about Euro1.50 each way. The walk though is well worth it and along the way there are 12 information boards giving an insightful history into Dachau and the reason so many people visit the camp on a daily basis.

If you've never heard about the Concentration camp at Dachau or its significance then the reason for my visit may seem a little confusing and so a little history before I go too much further. In 1933 just after Adolf Hitler was made the Reich Chancellor, the concentration camp at Dachau was set up as a place to hold Political prisoners. Over the 12 years it was in use the camp held over 200,000 people and over 45,000 of those held there died at the camp. As the first of its kind the camp at Dachau became the Nazi's model for all future camps and for this reason it still stands today and has acted as a memorial for those who died there since 1965.

It was because of this I decided it would be somewhere I was interested in visiting and paying my respects to those whom had died there. The camp itself is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm and the grounds themselves are actually free to visit. My first attempt to visit the camp last year resulted in a long walk to a closed camp as we went on a Monday, not realising it wasn't open, so this is something very important to remember, especially if you plan to walk it.

The new visitors centre is due to open later this year and from here, like the old visitors centre you can get self guided and fully guided tours for a small cost. The self guided tour costs Euro3 and for this you are given a hand set and map to guide you round the camp. The guide seems to cater for a large selection of nationalities and is available in German, English, French, Italian, Spanish, and Hebrew. This saves needing to stop at the various points and read the information boards which are displayed in both English and German.

The fully guided tours cost a little more and run at certain times of the day. This also costs Euro3 for a two and a half hour tour of the grounds. We caught the tail end of one tour and the guide seemed to be really knowledgeable and held the attention of his audience. These are available in German and English and seemed to be quite popular.

We opted for the self guided version and used the various boards around the site to guide ourselves around. The camp itself is a very sombre place and while the majority of cabins have been taken down, there are 2 at the front left standing, showing the conditions the inmates had to suffer. There is a lot of information to be digested and some of it is very unsettling. The size of the bunk huts and the number of people in them for instance is one very sobering vision.

The parade grounds in front of the cabins remain in place and the sheer size of the area is quite shocking. On top of that the Guard towers are still very evident around the perimeter of the camp, complete with barb wire fence and trench. Again some of the sites are very shocking and it's a very real reminder of what went on there.

At the front of the camp is the old maintenance building, which has now been turned into a museum of camp history. It's important to state at this point that while this area is very interesting and educational it's not for the younger visitors or anyone who is particularly squeamish. The museum itself, much like the rest of the camp is quite a sombre place and I certainly found it quite a touching and moving place to be. Towards the rear of the camp were three memorials to the varying religions of the prisoners who had died in the camp. These were quite tasteful memorials and a fitting tribute to those that had lost their lives.

Perhaps the most shocking aspect of the camp was a separate area at the back of the camp. Within a rather peaceful looking garden area you come across the crematorium and gas chamber. While the gas chambers themselves weren't used they still have a creepy feeling to them, this whole area just seems to feel wrong. The gardens around this area serve as a reminder to all of exactly what happened here, but like the rest of the camp, it almost felt like we shouldn't be there. In fact whilst walking around the camp it was noticeable that even the birds wouldn't cross the fence line surrounding the camp.

It was a trip I'm quite glad now that I've made. While I came away from the camp feeling a little down it was certainly a learning experience that I will never forget. I think it's important that places such as Dachau and Auschwitz are left open for people to truly get an idea of what happened in those years Hitler was in charge. There is something very moving and sobering about the whole place and while this weekend in Munich was perhaps one of the happiest moments of my life, the visit to Dachau really put it into perspective as to just how lucky I am.

I would honestly say if you are visiting Munich then this is a trip you have to make. It may seem a slightly morbid place to visit on holiday, but I think it's a fitting tribute to those who died and perhaps a fitting way to pay tribute to their memory. This is a site that is more than worth visiting and while it may not sound like everyone's cup of tea, I'm glad I took the time to take the trip to Dachau as it's something I think I'll remember for the rest of my life.

Useful link: http://www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de/index-e.html

While I know a star rating below is required I'm putting it as a neutral rating as even though I recommend a visit there, it's perhaps not your regular tourist trip

Summary: An important link to the past