Concentration Camps Question for Travelers!!?

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El Chimpo

Concentration camps in Germany are memorials, and cost nothing to enter, though you can also make a donation if you wish.

Dachau comes recommended already, though many of the current buildings there are reconstructions, since the original buildings were burned down by the Allies after liberation for fear of disease spreading. The original crematorium was also destroyed by explosives. The admin building and processing building is original and in some parts graffitti and painted signs were recently rediscovered during renovation works. Despite being reconstructions, they still deliver the message the memorial was established for, it doesn't detract from that at all.

The above posters seem to have a dispute going on - though ecc.3 seems to be correct. The gas chamber/'shower room' at Dachau were not used for that specific purpose. The original crematorium was used as far as I know. Extermination camps (death camps) in Poland, occupied Soviet states, and Hungary were where most extermination happened. Within Germany the camps were designated concentration camps - different purposes. Despite that, thousands still died in Dachau KZ. On a side note, the camps that still stand as memorials outside of Germany are a little more 'authentic' to visit as they are preserved as it was, moutains of shoes, human hair, suitcases, intact original buildings and so on. The Allies sanitised everything after liberation within Germany.

Back to the point, Bergen Belsen is another option to visit near Hannover/Celle. Sachsenhausen near Berlin is another option if you are in the neighbourhood.

It really doesn't matter which you go to, the message you take with you and what you learn is the same. Go to the one nearest to where you intend to visit.

The man with no name

I went to Dachau last December as at the time I was living in Ingolstadt (which is just up the road) and I would have to say that it is definately worth a visit. It's also very upsetting.

I would say that Dachau would be the best to visit as it was the first of its kind to be constructed and therefore is unique. There is also a lot of it still standing for education purposes.

The tour guide was British and he obviously had a passion for what he did as the tour was brilliant.

It is free to enter, but to take the tour, you have to pay a fee. But don't worry, its not much.

When you are learning German, learn what "Arbeit Macht Frei" means so you'll know when you see it as you walk through the gate! And yes, your German above is spot on!

Ecc.3 (below) is wrong. They did indeed gas prisoners. The guided tour would have shown/told you that. I took a load of pictures when I was there so take a look at this link and it will show you.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=76394&l=f78cc&id=565775509

Picture 24 is the gas chamber (or shower room as they would have told the prisoners).

Ecc.3

Dachau is the one I visited. Its a somber experience because it IS the first concentration camp that was built. It didn't kill the prisioners by gas chamvers. The prisioners were political prisioners and were all male. They died from starvation, or suicide. You don't need a tour guide, tho to have one will give you more insight. There are plenty of stations throughout the camp that shows you large pictures and info written in English. It is sad, but its a fact. Must see.

K02

I would also recommend you to visit Dachau. You can get there from Munich by public transportation. Take the S-Bahn (city train) to Dachau and from the station there are buses that go to the camp.
There is also Buchenwald. That is in the former East Germany. But as I can see from your other question (the one about your concern about racism) you probably want to avoid rural eastern Germany. I mean I get nervous travelling there and I am white but have pretty dark hair...
It is really sad that I have to say something like that, because the region could really use the tourism. But as long as the 'good' citizens don't stand up against those neo facists in their midst, but watch while hords of stupid skinheads chase a group of foreigners through the streets, I will not recommend this part of Germany to any foreigner.

friskygimp

they are free

i would recommend auschwitz because its the biggest but its in poland

however dachau was the first and that is in germany

Tofi

I would chose dachau cos it is near munich. bavaria is nice and the concentration camp is in a good condition.

Razgriz01

i would recommend Auschwitz. eventhough its in Poland. it was the biggest and most famous concentration camp.

mactheanimal

There is a KZ near Berlin called Sachsenhausen.

Web info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachsenhausen_concentration_camp

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