With all of the beauty of Bavaria, and the wonderful life we have here, it is sometimes easy to forget that it has a past that it would rather hadn't happened. Today we visited the excellent and thoughtful memorial on the site of the Dachau concentration camp, which is only a short train ride from Munich Hauptbahnhof, and then a slightly longer walk (or bus if you're feeling lazy!) from the Dachau town centre.
This was the second time I have visited the memorial and both times I have left feeling overwhelmed by the sheer suffering and endurance of those who were imprisoned there between 1933 and 1945.
The memorial is split into three main parts – the old administration block and showers is now the museum with very good photography, essays and multimedia installations on the history of the camp, one row of barracks (pictured) which have been left intact to show the unbelievably crowded situations of the camp, and the crematorium (ghastly). There are also several sculptures around the camp – one purportedly showing all of the badges worn by the inmates of the camp and noticeably missing the pink triangle worn by the homosexuals – not entirely sure about this oversight!
Of course there is the camp gate with the famous inscription 'Arbeit Macht Frei' with the obligatory tourists lining up for ghoulish photos with it – it bewilders me sometimes – I can just see someone getting home and handing around the photos to the family – cut to the inane smile next to the gate.. 'well, gee, this is me in that little concentration camp we visited, I was having such a bad hair day!' Lest we forget.
In other, less somber news, we had a lovely lunch in the town of Dachau, I have eaten so much Schweinebraten (roast pork) this week I think I will explode! Tomorrow we pick up the hire car and head for the hills – Oberammergau and the Eibsee I think – is it time to break out the lederhosen?
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DAYS OF JAY 
we spent a week in the Munich area last year. Out of the entire week, the day we went to Dachau was the only day we had horrible weather…crazy how that happens….I enjoyed it though, as much as you can enjoy something like that I guess….your photos are beautiful, I feel like I’m there again, with the freezing wind and gloomy skies
Isn’t it funny how that happens? Today was mostly beautiful but, sure enough, as soon as we got near the camp, scary clouds and cold winds turned up! The leaves have really started falling now – I’m hoping that Italy still has some sunshine for us when we visit Venice and Lake Garda next week 🙂 are you enjoying your 365 project? I love your long exposure photos – have you thought about doing a long exposure for your ‘me Mondays’? J.
it’s starting to cool down a bit in Italy, not too much though…if you have time while you’re in Venice, make sure you explore the Islands! Burano is my favorite, it’s so peaceful! LOVING my 365 project…and I will definitely try doing a long exposure on one of my me mondays now!