Going to visit the concentration camp was not what I expected. I did not realize that the camp was so large and had different components like the SS training camp, the prisoners camp and the crematory in a separate area. I thought the concentration camp was going to be one large area so it was surprising when everything was separate and there was also trees that had been planted by the prisoners. Also it was surprising to learn that even after the war some Germans did not know that the prisoners were innocent people and should have never been taken captive and were unaware of the terrible things that occurred at the concentration camps, due to all of the propaganda. Also, I couldn't imagine being in one of the camps and surviving and having to prove that you were there to receive aid from the country. I also found it interesting that gas chambers were put into Dachau since it was used for propoganda and so many people knew the camp was there.
I also found it intersting when our guide said that the Catholic Church helped the Nazi's escape after World War Two was over. Likewise, I was surprised when she said how few Nazi's and other people involved were charged and prosecuted.
In the one of the exibits I watched numerous videos of interviews with survivors. A lot of the videos talked about the different colored triangles that were used to identify different groups for example Political prisoners had red triangles, "professional criminals", or convicts had green triangles and lastly a lot of the interviewees talked about the Johovah's Witnesses that wore purple triangles. I found this last part in particular very interesting because I did not realize that there was Johovah's Witnesses in the concentration camps and one guy said that they were told that if they hailed to Hitler then they would be freed but none of them would abandon their religious views and were therefore killed.
Overall this site was extremely challenging to be at due to the number of people killed and abused here but it was nice that it was turned into a memorial site to honor the people who lost their lives.
I also found it interested that much of that camp was built by the prisoners! For example, the prisoners built the larger crematorium! I couldn't imagine knowing that the facility I am building could be used to cremate so many fellow prisoners.
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