We
left Zürich reasonably
early this morning in our rental car for Dachau in the southern
German state of Bavaria. Dachau is now probably best known
for the Concentration
Camp setup in 1933 by Hitlers National Socialist (Nazi)
goverment to intern political prisoners. While I've been to Terezin several
years ago, I've never been to Dachau or another concentration
camp which it's reputation.
Dachau was the first concentration camp built by the Nazis in 1933 and provided a template for all subsequent concentration camps built through German conquered territories. The camp was intended for political prisoners and over its 12 years of existance 200,000 people were incacerated in Dachau and the various sub-camps. 43,000 died. On 29th April, 1945 US troops liberated the camp. The prisoner camp became a memorial in 1965.
The
history of the concentration camp at Dachau is well documented
and debated over the years and I'm not sure I want to dwell
on it here. To walk through the Camp is a horrific experience
of remembrance. At the end of the main sections where the barracks
once stood memorials now honour the dead and include a moving
memorial to Poles, a Catholic chapel, a Protestant Church and
a Jewish memorial. The gas chambers and furnaces at the far
end of the camp from the main entrance really bring home what
happened here.
As we hadn't reserved a hotel this evening, hoping to play it by ear, we popped into the The Harp pub in central Dachau Village and assessed the options. A phonecall later and we had a reservation at the Hotel Bavaria (Rudolf-Diesel Straβe 16, Dachau) back in the direction of the Camp. The Hotel Bavaria is appropriately priced, facilities are clean and functional and good-value at the price. The Ristorante La Sila downstairs does a decent line of pizzas.
