We rode in the hotel shuttle to the train station and boarded. We were headed to the Dachau Concentration Camp. Dachau was the first concentration camp in Germany and opened in 1933 at the sight of a munitions factory. When we got to the end of the train line we still had to take a bus the last miles or walk to the camp. Some of us decided to walk and with Jens as our guide, we started off. The weather was perfect and we enjoyed the blue skies and mild to warm temperatures.
We walked briskly for over half an hour and as we approached the camp we came upon a long lane. We followed the road and some of us discussed quietly that perhaps this was the path prisoners may have walked. As we learned later, it was exactly the same path that was taken. The camp did not have a train leading into the camp as some camps did, and once off the train in the town of Dachau, the prisoners had to walk through the town and down the path just as we did this morning. It was very sobering to learn later in the tour that this path we followed into camp was called The Path of Remembrance. My heart ached for those who came before me.
We spent the next several hours touring the grounds and remaining buildings with a wonderful guide who explained everything quite thoroughly and answered all of our questions. There is a museum there that we visited and also several chapels that we did not have time to visit. The most disturbing to me was the crematorium where we could view the ovens and some of the equipment used. It was very hard to see and everyone left this room with a lump in the throat and a feeling of. "How could this happen?"
I choose here not to go into great detail about this visit to Dachau. Please take the time to read more about the camp. My words can not do it justice and there is much documentation available. It was an intense experience and I believe that everyone should visit if ever given the opportunity. The documentary film showed at the end of our tour about the camp was very moving filled with photos and film from the 1940's. and I think that tears were shed by everyone there, in the silent darkness and safety of the theatre.
Sandy and I did not discuss this until tonight but neither of us took pictures of each other in this place. We learned from each other tonight after we were at the hotel, that we both felt that it would be wrong in some way to pose here and that this was after all, a memorial and should be respected as such. We were allowed to, and did, take some photos of Dachau. The photo below is a picture of my hand in a prison cell. I had to touch the walls where hundreds, perhaps thousands of prisoners had passed by. I can not explain why. I just had to do it and my heart ached for those who came before me.
In spite of Dachau being an emotionally challenging place to visit I am glad I did. I knew that I could not have the opportunity to see this piece of history and not go. It is to important to our world's history and we must honor it. - “for the dead and the living, we must bear witness.” from ElieWiesel. -
We again boarded the train and headed back to our hotel and a yummy last supper together as a group of 18 traveling companions. I am so happy to have met my new friends and have been able to take this trip. Thank you friends and family for supporting me through this journey and a special thank you to Jens and Judy for putting this together. See you all back at home real soon and I will post some reflections later. Bye for now. Deb
PS. The photo below is of a guard shack and outside fence at Dachau. It seems so hard and a bit unreal next to the rich summer colors of the trees and grass. We must never forget.
No comments:
Post a Comment