Dachau

Originally published 20 March, 2012

Many people place flowers on a grave. The Jews have a custom of placing a stone on a grave marker or a memorial. They do this to show they were there, and they use a stone because it is forever. Today, Laurie placed a stone at Dachau. A German man in a wheel chair asked why she did this. When Laurie explained why it was done, his wife had me lift her up to place a stone for them.

Laurie's family lost members in the camps during World War II. This was personal for her. Consequently, I'm going to let her write the story of the Dachau visit. It's part of who she is and it's her story to tell if she chooses to.

I will post pictures with a few descriptions. I'll show the camp, what things were like, what we saw.
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We had dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant, a small celebration of life for Laurie. Something she was quite aware of. Tomorrow, we take the bullet train to Paris. I will have something to say then.

The entry gate to the camp.  It says "work will make you free".  This was common at the gates of concentration camps.

The memorial sculpture, in front of the building where they did the medical experiments.  

Inside the gas chambers.

Memorial

No man's land.  Prisoners were shot if they were in the grass area near the fence.

A field of foundations of barracks.  These housed tens of thousands of Jews.

Laurie on the assembly grounds by one of the barracks.

No man's land and fences.

Memorial

Crematorium

The ovens to incinerate the bodies.

Edit 2018-   I've traveled much since this trip.   This is still the most emotionally disturbing place I've ever been.    The ground cries.  But we owe it to the murdered to bear witness and visit. Never again.

Edit 2024-  I stand by this.  I couldn't have said it better.

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