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| Reflections on the visit |
| The building in the background was the area that once contained the kitchen, laundry, and storage rooms. This is also another area where the SS would torture the prisoners by whipping and beating them. The memorial in the front is made of metal. If you look carefully, you can see the bodies of people mixed into the metal. The dates 1933-1945 symbolize the years the camp operated. |
| The square in front of the wall was the location of the whipping block. Prisoners would be whipped in front of everyone in the camp if they disobeyed the smallest rule. Everyone in the camp was forced to watch. The memorial behind the block says never again in five different languages. The camp was liberated by American soldiers on April 29, 1945. Conditions in the camp at that time were appalling. |
| I visited the Reconciliation church that was built on the grounds of the camp in 1968. It was a quiet place for prayer and reflection. I took some time to say a prayer for all those who had suffered, and I lit a candle in their names. I also made a personal promise to share what I had seen here, and to do all I can to make sure that I treat others with kindness and respect, while remembering to speak up against evil. Dachau was an amazing place to visit. |