Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp and became a model for others. Visiting the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site today was heavy. I expected it to feel serious, but I was not prepared for how overwhelming the space itself would feel. The camp stood far from city life, which gave me a glimpse of how helpless the victims might’ve felt. We walked into a massive empty space that felt larger than anything I had seen in movies or textbooks.
The first thing I noticed were the letters on the entrance gate, which had a quote “arbeit macht frei.” This translates to “work sets you free” in English, and it was phrases like these that spread propaganda about concentration camps being “re-education” camps. Initially, the main victims at this site were politicians, lawyers, judges, press, and anyone deemed enemies of the state. Their ideas and actions opposed the Nazi regime, so they would be worked and mistreated until their souls were crushed.
Beyond the gate were long stretches of empty stone foundations where the barracks once stood. There was almost nothing left built up. The only structures that still remained from the beginning of its existence were the crematories and gas chambers. I felt the silence and heaviness as I walked through knowing what took place here. Dachau was not the largest concentration camp. This shocked me the most, because I could never imagine what a larger one would have felt like.
When I think about World War II history, I usually separate industry from politics and human suffering. I assumed the shame and responsibility of that history rested mostly with governments and civilians. Visiting Dachau made me realize that companies were deeply connected as well. Well-known brands like BMW contributed important wartime technology for Germany. They created their own facilities and used victims in concentration camps to help produce airplane engines for the war. Bavaria speaks highly of their engineering and innovative history, and the country took advantage of it at the time.
Standing in Dachau asked something of me beyond simply learning facts. As a student, it reminded me to learn with curiosity and purpose, not just to reach an end goal. As a future business professional, it reminded me that success should never come at the expense of my morals. And as a person, it challenged me to show empathy, speak thoughtfully, and stand up for what’s right even if it doesn’t directly affect me. Too many people overlooked what was happening until it was too late.
After leaving Dachau, I walked around Augsburg to reflect and decompress from the heaviness of the day. This was one of the most influential pieces of history I have ever experienced firsthand, and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life.
