Today was an intense day when visiting Dachau. We loaded onto the bus for our hour ride to the concentration camp. Upon entry, we didn’t see much of the camp, and I wasn’t able to feel the true emotions until I stepped through the gate and heard the infamous words, “Work sets you free.” This is where I first felt the despair in the air. We walked with our tour guide Tobias, who was extremely knowledgeable and passionate. He said he didn’t work there for the money, he worked there to give back and teach about the horrifying history of WWII. I’ve seen the barracks in movies and pictures, but stepping inside was a different story. To imagine the later days of Dachau, where it was so overcrowded that people would be stacked on top of one another, along with the conditions, Tobias mentioned that if even one bed was made improperly, they would hang the prisoners by their arms around a pole.
Around the camp was a tall fence and barbed wire. I felt the emotions as so many people saw this place as their last. Tobias explained how each prisoner had to wear a dehumanizing triangle to show why they were imprisoned. During the tour, he used many helpful photos to support his words, which made the history feel even more real. We saw memorials for the three prominent religions: Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant, each uniquely designed to commemorate the lives taken here.
Next, we made our way to the gas chamber and crematory that was hidden off to the side from the rest of the camp. I believe this was deliberately placed off to the side to hide the SS’s revolting plans. Walking through this was challenging, knowing so many innocent people were cremated where I stood. The feeling was hard to process, and it made the reality of what happened at Dachau feel far more personal than anything I had previously learned in a classroom. I chose not to take many photos because I did not want to be on my phone during this tour, so I didn’t get many pictures.
We ended our tour at the Russian Orthodox Chapel, where we discussed how we can never let history repeat itself, and it is up to our generation to make sure of it.