What Peace on Earth?

It was somehow fitting on the morning after the attacks in the Christmas Market in Berlin, that we were going to the KZ-Gedenkstatte (The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site).  While this stop was certainly going to be a complete contrast to the rest of our trip, we thought it was important that we go there.  It seemed to us that we haven't gotten very far toward the goal of peace since the terror that took place here over 70 years ago.

The sign at the entrance to the memorial

On my various trips to Germany, whether to big cities or smaller towns and villages, it always impresses me how the Germans are doing a very good job of remembering the dark part of their history that took place from 1933 to 1945.  In Berlin, for example, at the entrance to one of the older U-Bahn stations, there is a sign saying "Places of Terror that We Must Never Forget" and below those words is a list of the concentration camps.  In many towns and villages little brass cobblestones have been placed in front of houses from where Jews were taken.  These "Stolperstein" have on them their names, dates of their birth and death as well as their fate which is usually "perished in Auschwitz".  There are usually no entrance fees to memorials and other sites recounting that part of history including the one at Dachau. There was only a modest 3.50 Euro charge for the audio guide.   

It was a particularly cold and grey day for our visit. Even this close to Christmas, there were lots of groups of German school children there learning about this part of their history.

We started by watching the documentary detailing the atrocities.  The movie was, needless to say, graphic and very disturbing!  After that, we spent some time reading the various exhibits in the museum before wandering around the grounds.  The entire environment seemed so desolate and hopeless.  You just cannot fathom how horrible it must have been here.

We had originally intended to do the 2 1/2 hour walking tour but neither of us had the stomach for it after the documentary.  However, given that we celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace at this time of the year yet so often we are reminded peace eludes us, it was an important stop to make.  The one word that came to me to describe this place was grim!  After about 1 1/2 hours here, we closed the "Arbeit Macht Frei" gate behind us and moved on.

Next up:  Munich and our last Christmas market.