2g

Wondering how the two concentrations camps conpare? We have been to Auschwitz last year. We are thinking of visiting Bavaria later this year and wondering if Dachau is a must see. Thanks in advance.

julia1

Depends on why you visit. Dachau differs from Auschwitz in many ways, but they share similarities and many people may say, 'Seen one, seen them all.' Not really true at all, but if the experience of visiting Auschwitz effected you deeply, it may be reasonable to decide that you needn't put yourselves through it again.

Dachau is the oldest concentration camp, dating from 1933, when it was set up to house political prisoners and enemies of the Party. It's on the site of an old powder factory, in full production during WWI, making the town of Dachau very prosperous. The Treaty of Versailles prohibited Germany from armaments manufacture, so the factory was closed down, throwing several thousand people out of work. The abandoned factory was selected for the camp because it was already enclosed by high walls and had large, empty buildings.

The major impact for me with Dachau, and what has stayed with me over the many years since, is the realization that it's just a short walk from the town, which is a beautiful, neat little place, many of the houses with lovely front gardens. There is simply no way to believe the people of the town were ignorant of what took place in the camp. Made me feel sick in my soul, which is what is supposed to happen when one is confronted by the banality of evil.

latedaytraveler

2g, Julia has described the background and setting of Dachau very well - you can see nearby rooftops and buildings from inside the gates. The site contains an extensive display of haunting photos and other documentation about the Holocaust.

Dukey1

There is a LOT of history associated with the site including some of the many medical "experiments" which took place there. The numerous "blown up" photographs of some of the atrocities which took place become particularly chilling when you realize you are often standing <B>in the very room</B> where the photographs were taken and that the activities photographed happened <B>right there</B>.

You'll also see the infamous "Arbeit mach frei" which was borrowed for Auschwitz from this original at Dachau.

irishface

What struck me at Dachau was the silence. Even though it was midsummer and there were lots of visitors, when I came out of the introductory film and the photographic display, I didn't hear a voice and barely any footsteps. Anyone speaking was doing so in a whisper. It was sobering and haunting. It made me prayerful and full of "What ifs?".

Auschwitz, to me, was also powerful. It hit me in the pit of my stomach. I can't explain the difference, but there is one.

To say that I am glad that I had the chance to see both sounds strange, but it brought stories that I have read and heard to life. I realized that no movie could make the horror of these places as real as a visit. And even a visit covers over the reality and the horror of life in these camps.

michele_d

I have a picture of the "Arbeit mach frei" (Work will set you free) on the front gate with the camp behind it. Every time I look at that pic it gives me goosebumps.

DonTopaz

Whether or not to go to Dachau, or choosing among the many ways to remember and honor the lives and the cultures that were lost in WWII, is very much a personal thing. Follow your instincts and do what seems right to you.

danon

Dachau is an easy half day trip from Munich.
We visited in Sept. last year.

I have not seen other concentration camps - I would not wish to see more than one.

hausfrau

The exhibits at Dachau are unbelievable - thorough, informative, and intense. They have held nothing back. I have not been to Auschwitz, but my understanding is that there is less explanatory information at that site. If you are willing to spend several hours, a visit to Dachau will give you a greater understanding of Hitler's rise to power and how Dachau evolved from a political prison into a deadly concentration camp.

pauljagman

My father was in a Combat Engineer group attached to one of the first American Divisions to help liberate Dachau. I recently found an old note he wrote regarding his time there. He recounts how they had to pull prisoners off of German guards that were pretending to be prisoners. Apparently a ploy by the guards to remain free. He also talks about opening train car doors and seeing stacks of dead and dying. He couldn't eat for weeks afterwards because of the stench.

pauljagman

My father was in a Combat Engineer group attached to one of the first American Divisions to help liberate Dachau. I recently found an old note he wrote regarding his time there. He recounts how they had to pull prisoners off of German guards that were pretending to be prisoners. Apparently a ploy by the guards to remain free. He also talks about opening train car doors and seeing stacks of dead and dying. He couldn't eat for weeks afterwards because of the stench.