Dachau

Yesterday we took a guided tour of Dachau, outside of Munich. Dachau was the first and most famous of the Nazi concentration camps.

The actual compound itself was pretty sterile, large open spaces in the yard and where all the old barracks used to be. All the other buildings are original, built by the 'slaves' who were sent to the camps.

We had an excellent guide who not only showed us the camp, but explained the gruesome tactics used by the Nazi SS to keep the prisoners in a constant state of shock.

The Dachau camp was basically a place where they sent Jews and other 'undesirables' to work until they died. Most of the people sent there were completely innocent, but were subject to the most inhumane treatment.

The tour really brought home the horror of the 2nd world war, especially for us who didn't experience it in our life times.

All I can say is that everyone should visit this place, if only to realise how cruel humanity can be and to discover that the future never has to be like this again.