Today we visited the Dachau concentration camp. It’s hard to put the experience into words because it was so unlike anything else we’ve done on this trip. I knew it would be heavy going in but being there in person made the reality of it hit in a completely different way. 

The first thing that shocked me was the size. I had no idea how large it was. Walking through the grounds and realizing how many people were held there was overwhelming. It started as a small camp but quickly expanded and became more full as time went on. Our guide explained that at one point over 2000 prisoners were packed into a single barrack. It was hard to imagine how anyone survived those conditions. 

One of the stories that stood out to me was that only one person ever escaped the camp. There were also two prisoners who were released because they gave up their religion. It really made me think about the impossible choices people had to make just to stay alive. 

Another thing I didn’t expect was learning how many camps there actually were across Europe. Our guide explained the roles of the capos which were prisoners who were chosen to oversee others and that they were often selected because they were criminals. He also talked about how the camp was used early on to give a false image to the outside world. At one point, Hitler even brought inspectors to Dachau to try to avoid public criticism. 

Something that stuck with me was the rent-a-prisoner system, where prisoners were forced to work for companies and individuals. The level of cruelty and control that existed inside those walls is still hard to process. 

Even though it was a difficult day emotionally, I’m grateful we had the opportunity to visit and learn from a place like this. Hearing the history in such a direct and honest way helped me understand the impact on a much deeper level. I think this visit will stay with me for a long time.