The Most Difficult Post, Ever.

To date, this has been the hardest post for me to ever compose, the hardest photos for me to edit.  I honestly don't like most of these images- but that is not the point.  This place, and the all too many like it, none of us like that they exist/existed, but we NEED to remember.  We NEED to see the atrocities that man is capable of - so that we may never repeat them.

Dachau to me is a bucket list place of a different sort.  Not for beauty, not for engineering marvel - merely because it existed ever.  It never should have.

"Freedom through Work".  Yeah, right.

I have always felt that I NEEDED to go there before we left Germany.  I have seen the ghetto of Budapest, and monuments there, and they moved me - but nothing like Dachau.

It has taken me weeks to get this post done.  Quite honestly, these pictures were very hard for me to even edit, let alone put words to.

One of many memorials to the victims and survivors of the Holocaust.  Each symbol on this sculpture is one that was used to mark the prisoners - whether it be because they were Jewish, Polish, a Drunk, a Prostitute, a Priest, or Gay.  Anyone labeled "Socially Undesirable" was sent here, anyone vocal in opposing the National Socialist Regime was sent here.

For thousands, this was the last train platform that they ever saw.
This was where prisoners were taken off the trains, and brought into the camp.
 It is precisely in the middle between the SS barracks, and the Prison Camp.

Dachau affected me on a deeply profound and personal level.  I was in a funk - a deep funk for a couple of weeks after visiting the first concentration camp of the National Socialist Regime (Nazi).  Growing up, I learned about the Holocaust, I read "The Diary of Anne Frank," I saw "Schindler's List".  I knew of what happened, but it never hit me at that personal level.  

A re-creation of one of the barracks buildings.  The originals
were torn down.  All that remains of them is their foundation
footprint in the dirt along the avenue.

Anyone wonder why dysentery spread rampantly?

Barracks bedding.  Originally built to hold around 30 per level,
often more than 100 souls would be crammed onto each level.  At
the height of Dachau, barracks built to hold 300 held over 2000 people
in each one.

Going to Dachau, seeing the site where thousands upon thousands were exterminated for the mere reason that they were born of a different faith, that their lineage was different, that they opposed the cruel regime which had taken control of their country - it hit me.  For so many reasons, had I been alive in that era, it could so easily have been me.  I could have been the mother having her baby ripped out of her arms.  I could have been the mother watching the death heads take her beautiful girl and forcing her to the brothel.  But I wasn't, and for that I am more than thankful.

This is the gas chamber.
Though no evidence exists of this room ever actually being used for its intended purpose, it does not
mean that it was never used for other purposes.  It is believed that human experimentation happened
here, and cruel punishments were carried out throughout this building and its grounds.

The entire area of Dachau to me was very. . . oppressive.  The town itself was nice enough, however the minute we got near the camp, the atmosphere changed.  The air was suddenly heavy, and I just felt so much emotion; sadness and grief and anger come immediately to mind, but there was so much more than that, so much that was beyond my verbal capabilities.  I am incredibly thankful for the experience, as hard as it was, and I would recommend everyone go.  I did not take my family with me for this - and I am comfortable in that decision- my daughter is a very bright, and very sensitive soul, she could not have taken it well, or recovered from it easily.  For her, I took these pictures. I want her to understand this all some day, and to make sure that this never happens to anyone again.

Never Again.  This statue stands in front of the crematorium.

Never Again.