In front of this gate, which was usually closed, is a barrier with a sign on it that says “Halt”, meaning “Stop”. The whole camp is enclosed with high barbwire fencing, which has a threatened effect. There are watchtowers every 100 meters. It looks like a prison. However, the sign over the gate says “Arbeit macht frei”…

The only thing you can hear, when you walk through the streets of the camp is the cracking of the flints between your shoes and the ground. There are so many visitors and everybody remains absolute silence, even the children. All of them are overwhelmed by the atmosphere, which fills this memorial place. Each person is remembering the human beings, who were killed here. The Nazis murdered 32,000 prisoners in Dachau and six million altogether since

There are the grey painted and very impersonal looking houses in which the captives had been accommodated. The small and extreme uncomfortable looking beds are stacked one upon the other, three high, and several side by side. If there was not enough space for the large number of people, they had to share a bed. At times “prisoners” did not return to their bed, others could have it for themselves. However, nobody could really enjoy it, because they knew that the Nazis killed them.

The most oppressive sensation you get is when entering the incinerator. On top of the roof are two big chimneys, which smoked often for hours. In the middle of that 50 square meter room are two ovens located with a size that a human being can fit in. At first, the humans were gased in the gas chamber and then burned here. It is an indescribable feeling that overshadows you when looking at these ovens. It sounds unbelievable, but you can really smell the death in here; as if they j

Some topics in this essay:
World War, Dachau Germany, Jewish I’m, MACHT FREI, “arbeit macht, “arbeit macht frei”, atmosphere fills, entered camp, macht frei”,