Dachau (Munchen)
Hi
26-27 February, 2005,I had been to Munich (München in German). From there we visited Dachau on 26th..
Dachau is historically famous (or may we call it infamous) for its Concentration camps set up during the Hitler’s’ period (II world war). As you all know, these Camps were used for the torture and punishment for opponents of Hitler and Jews. I need not dwell into the details of history(as most of you would be knowing this) But the mere sight of the camp and various torture chambers makes you numb. The weather was biting cold , as if reminding us about the harsh reality we were about to see. Since it had snowed heavily previous day, and today the sun had come out, the ground , the trees were looking beautiful, in complete contrast of the melancholy mood of the place, as if saying that the evil has been conquered and the life is still beautiful. As soon as you enter, you see the open yard , where daily roll call was taken for the inmates, there is a Museum and a Kino (Cinema) which is run by the German government. The documentary which is shown in the Kino gives a brief introduction to the history. We were able to see the Barracks where the prisoners were kept. The Kitchen, The bathroom etc., In the Barracks there are instruments like our Coin Operated Telephones, If you pick up the phone and press the language of your choice, you can hear the real life experiences of the survivors, The daily routine as described by the survivors. There is another museum which gives you an insight into the history of Germany (from 1918) and the Rise of Hitler. The effect of Treaty of Versailles, President Hindenburg’s , Germany Monarchs rise and fall , Election campaigns of Hitler, His National Socialist Army,etc.,
There are graphic descriptions of the tortures done to the prisoners (like Pole Hanging, Whipping, Mal Nutrition, etc., ) One of the most Horrifying was the Gas chambers, where the prisoners would be taken on the pretext of taking a bath. At a time, a group of people would be taken to place and made to strip ( for taking bath , as they were informed) then they would be sent in the ‘Bath’ which is actually the gas chamber. Then all windows and doors would be closed and poisonous gas sent into the chamber. In few minutes the prisoners would be killed. Adjoining the Gas Chamber are two crematories, which were used to burn 2-4 bodies at a time and were running 24 hours a day. Since one crematory was not sufficient, two more was built (ironically by the prisoners themselves). Since the bodies used to arrive more faster than the crematories could burn them , there were rooms where bodies were kept to await their turn.
There on the entrance to the Camp on the iron gate, its written ARBEIT MACHT FREI, meaning Freedom through Work. There could not have been a more cruel way to mock the feelings of the innocent prisoners.
There are also, memorials built by the Israeli government and various other memorials.
After seeing all this , I could not help but think , ‘ Why was it necessary to preserve the Camp, why not demolish it and wipe out a dark chapter in the history of mankind?’. The answer was also available in one of the phamplets made available to us in the reception . there was a quotation in the phamplet which read ‘ Those who are ignorant about the History are bound to repeat it’
How true it is , If the lessons were properly learnt, there would not have been any Beslan, any 9/11, any Bombay Blasts, nor would Darfur be happening now.
Another thought which occurred to me, was that the Cellular Jails in Andman Islands were similar to this. But instead of making it a history lesson, our politicians are busy making it a political ploy and some polititions like Mani Shankar Iyer and Arjun Singh have stooped to the extreme level of classifying freedom fighters on lines of religion.
26-27 February, 2005,I had been to Munich (München in German). From there we visited Dachau on 26th..
Dachau is historically famous (or may we call it infamous) for its Concentration camps set up during the Hitler’s’ period (II world war). As you all know, these Camps were used for the torture and punishment for opponents of Hitler and Jews. I need not dwell into the details of history(as most of you would be knowing this) But the mere sight of the camp and various torture chambers makes you numb. The weather was biting cold , as if reminding us about the harsh reality we were about to see. Since it had snowed heavily previous day, and today the sun had come out, the ground , the trees were looking beautiful, in complete contrast of the melancholy mood of the place, as if saying that the evil has been conquered and the life is still beautiful. As soon as you enter, you see the open yard , where daily roll call was taken for the inmates, there is a Museum and a Kino (Cinema) which is run by the German government. The documentary which is shown in the Kino gives a brief introduction to the history. We were able to see the Barracks where the prisoners were kept. The Kitchen, The bathroom etc., In the Barracks there are instruments like our Coin Operated Telephones, If you pick up the phone and press the language of your choice, you can hear the real life experiences of the survivors, The daily routine as described by the survivors. There is another museum which gives you an insight into the history of Germany (from 1918) and the Rise of Hitler. The effect of Treaty of Versailles, President Hindenburg’s , Germany Monarchs rise and fall , Election campaigns of Hitler, His National Socialist Army,etc.,
There are graphic descriptions of the tortures done to the prisoners (like Pole Hanging, Whipping, Mal Nutrition, etc., ) One of the most Horrifying was the Gas chambers, where the prisoners would be taken on the pretext of taking a bath. At a time, a group of people would be taken to place and made to strip ( for taking bath , as they were informed) then they would be sent in the ‘Bath’ which is actually the gas chamber. Then all windows and doors would be closed and poisonous gas sent into the chamber. In few minutes the prisoners would be killed. Adjoining the Gas Chamber are two crematories, which were used to burn 2-4 bodies at a time and were running 24 hours a day. Since one crematory was not sufficient, two more was built (ironically by the prisoners themselves). Since the bodies used to arrive more faster than the crematories could burn them , there were rooms where bodies were kept to await their turn.
There on the entrance to the Camp on the iron gate, its written ARBEIT MACHT FREI, meaning Freedom through Work. There could not have been a more cruel way to mock the feelings of the innocent prisoners.
There are also, memorials built by the Israeli government and various other memorials.
After seeing all this , I could not help but think , ‘ Why was it necessary to preserve the Camp, why not demolish it and wipe out a dark chapter in the history of mankind?’. The answer was also available in one of the phamplets made available to us in the reception . there was a quotation in the phamplet which read ‘ Those who are ignorant about the History are bound to repeat it’
How true it is , If the lessons were properly learnt, there would not have been any Beslan, any 9/11, any Bombay Blasts, nor would Darfur be happening now.
Another thought which occurred to me, was that the Cellular Jails in Andman Islands were similar to this. But instead of making it a history lesson, our politicians are busy making it a political ploy and some polititions like Mani Shankar Iyer and Arjun Singh have stooped to the extreme level of classifying freedom fighters on lines of religion.
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