Dachau

Until this week, Munich has been cold and rainy with lows of 8 every night. On one of these cold depressing days, I went to the Dachau concentration camp. The first of it's kind, it opened in 1933 and remained in operation until 1945. In 12 years of operation nearly 200,000 prisoners entered it's doors.

This is the main entrance to Dachau. The writing on the door says, "Arebit Mach Frie." Work Will Set You Free

Once you enter the compound, the main processing building which has been converted into a museum, is on the right. Inside is an incredibly detailed timeline and many artifacts from the operation of the camp.

Inmate uniform

Arm band for disinfection area

Table where prisoners were held down, and beaten.

This is a memorial depicting the prisoners and the pain they went through while in Dachau.

Disguised as a shower room, it is still unknown why the gas chamber was never used.

Port for gas.

Cremation chamber.

The grounds once housed 32 barracks.

The Jewish Memorial at Dachau

The Jewish Memorial at Dachau

The Menorah at the top of the Jewish memorial, seen from inside

Any prisoner caught trying to escape was shot on sight. Many purposely entered the trench to end the suffering they endured.