Dachau

My family is of German-Jewish descent. They wanted me to tell them all about Dachau. This was harder than I expected. Here's what I wrote:

The original building where they processed prisoners is still standing, toilets and all. It's a sort of museum now. We walked through and there were some displays but mostly I was looking at the aged walls and the fixtures, thinking of the people who walked through the gates all those years ago but didn't walk out.

The crematoriums are also still standing and completely furnished. I went in with Tom and Justin and looked at the gas chambers and ovens. The ovens are left open.

We looked at the memorials and ended up near the crematorium again. "It's awful in there," said one of the Angelas (there are two in our group). "It's awful in there. You can feel it in the air..." She shivered. "Have you been in there?"

"Oh yeah," said Tom. "Let's not talk about it."

"Let's not."

And that's all I have to say.

As they say, never again.

-Brianne

Also on behalf of Valeria and Tom