Caught the train there and then got on a very crowded bus to make our way to the memorial site. Katie was doing ok with the travelling but the closeness of everyone was just getting to her as we arrived...rushed her off to catch her breath. Waited for the crowd to disburse before heading to the info desk to grab a map and to find out if we needed a audio guide.
After taking directions from the helpful guide we headed off to the auditorium to watch the movie on Dachau but with Jason leading us (Map boy jnr) we made our way to the back of the building where there was no access. So we missed that one... We decided to to see the 12.30 one.
Every one seemed to split up and go off in all directions. Some of us made our way back to the first sign to start reading the information....very annoying when those that have the audio guides stand right in front of the boards and you can't read them or see the pictures. GRRRR
Terri and I were separated from Evan and Katie at one point as we took in the slabs where all the barracks were and the stone pillars of the fence surrounding the camp....by this stage I was getting upset. I felt a lot of souls around me and as much as I know they should always be remembered for there unnecessary sacrifice its still hard. You would have to be made of stone not to be affected.
We gradually caught up with Katie and Evan and made our way to see the movie. This was very hard to watch . But I did. Jason felt like fainting while watching some of it and Katie couldn't watch most of it and had to look away. I was really upset and crying by the time it finished and I needed a big hug by the time we walked out....Katie and I couldn't do anymore and decided to go and sit in the cafeteria....we had something to eat, which made me feel very bad about eating when they had so little. It took a while to calm down but we talked and then made our way to the book shop....A few I am going to look up on amazon.
Evans Bit
After leaving a very upset Sharon I went through the museum that showed after 1st world war to the rise of Hitler and during his rein. It was getting crowded inside and decide to venture outside. I met up with Jason and we proceeded to one of the reconstructed barracks. They showed the bedding and ablution area. Next we walk passed where all the old footings of the barracks were and proceeded to the end of the compound. They have created memorials and small churches for the Jewish and catholic religions. The catholic church has a sermon once a month here. We wandered down to where the SS barracks had been reconstructed but was only allowed in a small area. Next was to the first crematorium which was built when the compound was used again in 1933. The camp was originally built in the first world war. By 1942 the small crematorium could not cope with the cremations so a larger 6 burner one was built. They piled the bodies into these 3 at at time and ran 24 hours a day. By the end of the war they had no coal so the bodies were just piled up and buried in mass graves. The camp records show there was about 230,000 people had been held at the camp over a 12 year period and used for labor in Farming, Textiles and munitions. Only 32,000 were accounted for at the end of the war. The crematorium also had a gas chamber but records show it was never used for mass killings. Jason and I went for a walk around the forested area which showed where the ashes of bodies were buried and where they had there firing squads. It also showed the ditch where the blood would pool after being shot. It is a very upsetting area but as a human race we still have not improved it still happens today throughout the world. I did not take any photos it did not feel appropriate. We had decided after the movie to all meet up again at 2.30pm and walk back to the train station on the roads that the interned were forced to walk on once they had left the train. Once we were all on the train we decided to find a nice place for dinner and try and finish on a higher note than we all felt at the moment for our last night in Munchen.
Once back at the hotel Jason & I did a recon and found some more Christmas markets and a genuine Bavarian restaurant and decided this is where we will all have dinner. After Jason and I went back to the hotel we told everyone this is where we are going. We left for the markets & dinner about 6.30 and had a nice walk around more Christmas stalls and onto the Restaurant. It was a nice cossy place with the best food and service so far on this trip. Everyone had a great time and back to the hotel for packing the next day. Except Duncan, Greg and myself we propped up the hotel bar for a while.
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