Today we are going to the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site and I know today is going to weigh heavily on my heart. It is quite a switch up from the site visits we have had so far, but I knew today would be very informative. With my Jewish background from my dad’s side of the family, I remember feeling sensitive to the topic when learning about these concentration camps in high school. I would go home and ask my dad so many questions about the Nazi period, usually starting with “Why…?” Certain questions remain unclear because we will never be able to understand the twisted minds of corrupt individuals from the past like Hitler, but today gave me a lot of insight on what it was like during these horrible times. 

When we arrived at Dachau, we were met by our tourguide, Tobias, who was absolutely amazing. You can really tell how knowledgable and passionate he is about everything and I was shocked by some of the statistics he was giving us. The barracks were extremely devastating to see because they were designed to hold about 200 people, and the overcrowded conditions led to nearly 2,000 people sharing these close quarters. 

It is so hard to hear about these camps through a textbook, let alone seeing the area in person. It seems like such a large open space, which is what makes it insane to picture the area packed with prisoners shoulder to shoulder being worked to extremes. The barricades around the camp were still intact, with multiple layers including a ditch and barbed wire fences to make it nearly impossible for prisoners to escape. 

After our tour, we got some time to look through the museum, which included hundreds of photos and testimonies from prisoners. These personal testimonies remind us of the trauma that was created for individuals, and not just communities of people. This experience was devastating to see and learn about, however it was also insightful and gave me a deeper understanding of the tragic events that took place in the mid 1900s.