The Dachau story

We visited Dachau on Tuesday 4th May (Monday closed). This was the first of the camps which the Nazis had built first to stifle opposition and then to do away with the Jews. Thru a series of pictures clicked during our visit we'll take you thru a virtual tour of the Dachau camp. We have incorporated the explanations given by the English-speaking guide who took us thru the remains of the camp on that windy drizzling afternoon. We found her to be extremely committed to her work.Susmita has prepared a power-point presentation for her students in the history class. If you ever visit Dachau or for that matter any of the concentration camps, we suggest that you take the help of a guide. Then only things would become more lively and meaningful.

Here we go - Dachau (pronounced as Dakhao) unfolded.

The first concentration camp to be opened in Germany(22nd March 1933)

Located on the grounds of an ammunition factory near the town of Dachau.

16 kms north-west of Munich, in the state of Bavaria. (the seat of Nazi Germany)
8000 people worked in the ammunition factory .

Region was very poor so all the people depended on the factory.
The factory closed down after the signing of the “Treaty of Versailles.”
Started as a work camp in 1933 when Hitler came to power. The site was chosen as the woods made it very secluded .Camp meant for political prisoners (anyone who opposed the Nazis). Served as a prototype and model for other concentration camps. As early as 1935 there were jingles warning the people “Dear God make me dumb, that I may not Dachau to come”, as every community in Germany had members sent to some camp when they opposed Hitler.

The railway lines used by the ammunition factory helped the SS to bring in prisoners to the camp

                                                                              
                                                                              
                                                                            

Training centre for the SS where recruits were
indoctrinated into a system which encouraged the torture, humiliation and killing of prisoners.

Once a prisoner entered this gate , he had to give up his freedom ,his rights and human dignity The inscribed words mean “Work will liberate you”.

 The road leading up to the camp (above). The camp’s basic plan (right) was developed by commandant Theodor Eieke. Later Eieke became the chief inspector for all concentration camps.

RECEPTION AREA WHERE PAPERS WERE CHECKED ON ARRIVAL

Shower area for “cleansing” the prisoners on arrival (Top)

                                      Flogging table (Bottom)

 

CAMP UNIFORM                                                   INSIGNIA FOR GRADING

                                                                               PRISONERS

 

ALL PRISONERS WERE MADE TO LOOK SIMILAR TO TAKE AWAY THEIR IDENTITY

BUNKERS (CELLS) FOR SPECIAL GROUPS eg. CLERGY, POLITICAL LEADERS

8 prisoners were kept in each cell

Sometimes prisoners were kept in dark or standing cells upto a period of 8 months for intimidation

 

  

Over its twelve years as a concentration camp Dachau recorded an intake of 206206 prisoners and 31951 deaths

Poor sanitation ,deprivation of medical care ,withholding of nutrients, medical experiments and beatings , shootings resulted in the death of many prisoners.
In 1941 and 1942 an unknown number of Russian POW’s were executed at the camp,sometimes for target practice and for sport.

                PILE OF BODIES FOUND BY THE AMERICANS ON THE LIBERATION DAY

In keeping with the Nazi emphasis on racial purity euthanasia was presented as a necessary programme for eliminating those who carried defective genetic materials which might endanger the quality of the “Aryan” stock

Dachau was liberated on 29th April

Annually world leaders come to Dachau on 29th April to pay homage.

  A Guard house still stands as a mute testimony to the horrific incidents it has seen over those 12 years.