When we got to the actual camps after all of the introductory talks and historical discussions, immediately the first thing that jumped out was how big this camp was. It was vast, spanning probably just as big if not bigger than the plot of land the Cathedral of learning was on which to me was insane. The rows and rows of the outlines of former barracks and the gate on the front that had in German “work sets you free” which even after just hearing that phrase gave me a massive pit in my stomach. 

The camp was a very very surreal and gut wrenching experience. During the tour one thing that I learned a lot about was how intense and calculated the Nazi party was when they were spreading their propaganda about the camp. In the early stages of the camp, it was not over crowded, there was enough food for everyone, and a few people died but the Nazis basically conveyed them as “accidents” to the media. With this, all of these camps prior to WW2 flew under the radar of bigger countries and the Nazis were able to roll out more and more and begin building even more awful camps built specifically for death and not work. 

One thing that made the Dachau visit especially difficult was realizing how closely large industrial companies and forced labor were connected during that time period. After spending the week admiring Germany’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities, it was uncomfortable to think about how some major companies operating during that era may have benefited from or been tied to systems built on exploitation and human suffering. 

This trip is asking something very important to me and all of my classmates. When we see some sort of injustice, some sort of tyranny, or something that we know is not right, speak up and do not let it go unnoticed. This all could have been stopped, all could have been avoided if a larger group stood up to the Nazis and did not just stay silent when witnessing all of this.