Yesterday we decided to mix things up from our original plan (which was to go out to Garmisch - the mountain area of Bavaria). Instead we decided to stay closer to Munich and apparently have an educational day!
The day prior, while we were at the Hofbrauhaus we met another American couple who were also our age from Minnesota. They have been traveling for 5 weeks and were wrapping up their last week! Talk about a long trip! They recommended that we go to Dachau, which is a small town about a 25 minute metro ride from Munich that is known because it was the first concentration camp, that most of the others were modeled after.
So we figured out the Munich metro, which seems quite simple. However I do believe we did not validate our ticket until the return trip because we didn’t understand… Instead we just walked on and off the metro, looking like we knew exactly what we were doing!
When we got to the Dachau bahnhof we had to take a bus for about a ten minute ride. We decided to get up early and start the day, which was great because there were so few people there. The memorial opens at 9am, we were there by 9:30.
It was an interesting morning. I am not even sure how to describe it. I am glad we went, but of course you can’t say it was a “fun” morning. I learned a lot. By the end of the museum part I just kind of felt numb. We could go into all of the buildings, each with a description of their prior purposes. By the end, at the crematorium and gas chambers I just felt ill with the whole thing and sat it out while Mike went in. Here are so photos -
(below) The map and details when we entered.
Their “uniforms” hanging in a prisoner’s wooden locker.
I believe this was the bath room… On the arches there are spots you can see where poles have now been removed. Prisoners were often hung from these poles. The bench you see was a form of torture as well.
Bunks. Tons of tiny bunks.
The crematoriums.
All of these rectangular spaces were living quarters before. There was a whole field of them.
The original entry to the camp. Less than 75 years ago thousands of innocent people walked through this gate.
Phew. It’s exhausting even going back through it! Next on our list was not anymore fun for me, but Mike loved it. We took the metro back into the city and got off at the stop for the German Museum. It was HUGE! Mike loved it because it was full of science, technology, physics, energy, motors, planes, light and sound, and so much more that I tried to block out of my college science classes. Here are a few if the 30 photos he took-
Since I have no clue what most of them are, I cannot describe them for you! You’re on your own with that one! 🙂
See some of you tonight and tomorrow!!
Xo - Suz
Posted using BlogPress from my iPad - To view full size photos click on the picture and it will link to the full size version. Real pics will be posted when I return from vacation! Thanks!
Location:Munich, Germany