Beattys Overseas

What an emotional visit it was to be here.  We took a local commuter train from Munich into the small town of Dachau, and caught a bus to the Memorial site.  We had been asked by some of the gentlemen the night before at the Hofbrauhaus why we wanted to go.  It's such a horrible thing, he had said, and why do you want to go gawk at it?  We feel much differently, perhaps because we are not German, who knows.  It's a part of world history that, although extremely appalling and dire, should be acknowledged and reflected upon. 

Dachau was the first concentration camp built by the Nazi party, and the model for all others built thereafter.  There are billions of sad and disturbed thoughts I could write here to explain how the place made me feel.  But for brevity's sake and  to avoid getting onto any kind of political soapbox, I'll digress.  

The memorial was very subdued in it's presentation of the site, but at the same time provided clear exhibits about what happened to the prisoners.  It was a truly moving experience, and one that we will not forget.