Dachau Concentration Camp

Today we visited the Dachau Concentration Camp located right outside of Munich. I will never forget this experience. It was definitely one of the most depressing things I have seen before. The two most uncomfortable settings were the bunker (prison) and the crematorium. The memorial/museum was very moving and really gave you a small taste of how life on the camp must have been. There is definitely no way to truly grasp the concept. The pictures and videos are what really got me feeling disgusted and sad.

The prison had a number of cells. There were descriptions of officers who were known for their cruelty, punishment/torture, and a pure vision of the tiny cells. I felt so uncomfortable walking through the building. When you read how they tortured the prisoners like putting them in cells that were too small to sit or lay down only being able to stand you feel crushed. They would hang the men from their hands on poles being unable to touch the ground. We were even able to identify the cells that were specialized for people such as the religious prisoners. They had a portable alter one of the cells that was used.

The crematorium was disturbing. We had the chance to walk through the gas chambers where many of the mass murders took place and see the stations where people were hanged and cremated. It's unbelievable that someone could do that to another human. Learning about the history and hearing stories is one thing, but to walk through where mass murders took place was a crazy experience. It makes you sick to think people were that messed up in the head. It started to make me mad. Your emotions start going and you think what would I do if I were in the camp? Would I stand up or sit down to watch things happen? Would I hold on or let go? I have a whole new respect for the people who stood up to the Nazi's and died for what they believed in. The camp really made me think about my own faith and what I believe in. The experience was mind blowing.

The history books should talk more about the resistance and give people the respect they deserve. I can't put into too many words what I seen today because you can't really talk about it. You need to see it yourself.

Aloha