Day 7: A Quiet Trip To Germany

Today was another transfer day, but it was different than our other two trips.  Today, before reaching Munich, we would be stopping at Dachau.  It is a somber place and this post will probably be as well.

We awoke in Prague and had another wonderful breakfast.  Our bags were packed onto the bus and we departed.  In just a few minutes, I think, the whole bus was asleep.  We had more than five hours ahead of us on the road and the rest was much needed from last night's walking tours.  I tried staying awake, but totally succumbed to slumber for a good many minutes.  

I did wake a few times, along the way, due to some bumps in the road.  We also stopped for a bathroom break near the Czech/German border.  The weather was strange on the highway.  We saw the sun and snow.  Gina and Nobert were both very surprised to see it snowing this late in April.  Our second stop was at a rest stop in Germany.  We took a half hour for lunch.  The kids all seemed to be a little refreshed, but the energy I've seen all week was not there.  Of course, it could be a product of our long day in Prague.  It also, however, could have had something to do with Dachau being so close.

I am the first one to admit how fortunate I have been to be involved in these student trips.  I was speaking with Mr. Jones today about how many consecutive Aprils I've been away.  My passport is nearly full with stamps (not all from student trips), but nothing really compares to visiting places that make you feel the history.  The weight of the past rests heavy upon your shoulders when you begin to approach a place like Dachau.

The gated entrance to Dachau is easy to recognize.  "Abeit Macht Frei" translates to "work will set you free."  It is the world's worst form of irony.  For many, just seeing these words brings forth an emotional response.  At Saugus High School, we do a fairly nice job of preparing students to learn about the Holocaust.  The topic is covered in History and English classes.  We even have an entire course focused on the Holocaust and Genocides.  A few of the students are in, or have taken, that course, but for some, this is really their first exposure to the size and magnitude of this event.  As we stopped in front of these words there was a noticeable change in mood from our kids.  Some of us shot pictures, but many just silently crossed through into the Nazi's first concentration camp.  We held a brief meeting and then began to examine the exhibit.

The museum at Dachau is very well designed.  You enter into the main building, it is in the picture above.  There is a large timeline on the wall detailing many of the important events in the camp's history.  To the left, there is a small office.  I went in and spoke with a women who might have been the curator of the museum.  As we spoke, she told me of which tools are best used to teach the subject of the Holocaust.  She recommended a few titles for me (some of which I had previously purchased) and informed me that her organization provides for the printing and distribution of materials to people around the world.  She showed me some envelopes she was mailing to the United States.  Her passion for the museum was undeniable.  Opposite of her small store/office, you walk along the timeline of events and into the main exhibit.  Along the way, you have the opportunity to see how the Nazi party and Anti-Semetism rose to prominence in Germany.

The museum focus shifts to the growth of the suppression of dissidents, political opponents, and the Jewish leaders of Munich.  The number of prisoners was originally 6,000, but quickly grew to over 6 times that number.  The prisoners, who originally had single beds and lockers, soon found themselves in barrack-style living.  The camp guards and commandants were especially brutal.  Strict penalties existed for uncleanliness, hiding food, or singing without permission.  At one point, a commandant changed the rule for whipping and beating prisoners.  If the order was for 40 lashes, two guards could administer lashes at the same time, but it would only count as one...thereby doubling the number of strikes upon the body of the prisoner.

There is a video shown at the museum too.  I didn't watch it this visit, but most of the kids did.  I bought it a few years ago and show it in my classroom.  I walked out into a small courtyard separating the main building from the "bunker."  This building was used to house the more important prisoners or the ones who caused problems.  I've walked its halls before, but this time, I came across two of our kids.  I sat back and watched them.  I tried to allow them to experience it for themselves.  It is amazing to see a young person mature in front of your eyes.  The slowly read an informational sign and then audibly gasped.  I checked later, it was a quote from a man who recounted how the guards would execute someone on a regular basis.  It was like keeping time to them.

[Author's note: You may notice a few less pictures on this post.  I have a couple, and will post them later, but a visit to Dachau can be an incredibly personal and moving experience.  I chose not to take posed photos with the kids, but instead, let them explore and learn on their own.]

I left the bunker and walked along the stone pathway towards the stable-like barracks where prisoners lived.  There are only two building remaining, but their were upwards of 30 buildings when the camp was active.  The living accommodations were terrible, as you can imagine, and the dehumanization of the prisoners of Dachau was readily apparent.  I can't even imagine how living inside those quarters must have felt.  As I walked along the footprint of the other 28 barracks, the snow started to fall again.  I struck me as fitting.  The day was cold and dreary.  I took a small video.  I am not sure if you can hear the wind whip or see the snow falling, but I think you can see the dread in the place we visited.

Along the wooded path, I walked.  Towards the memorials built in honor of those who perished and those who survived.  I walked towards the crematorium.  I saw another group of our kids there.  They were talking quietly, I approached and asked if they had any questions.  There were none that needed to be asked, they understood.  We all walked into the crematorium together and through the shower-room too.  We read how this model was used in other places, death camps, and how the prisoners were deceived. Some of those kids walked off into the woods along a path that brings them to a mass grave of prisoners killed by firing squads when the American liberators approached.

I walked back to the gate.  Our time at Dachau was approaching its conclusion.  As students arrived, I told them to walk to the information center near the bus.  I didn't want them waiting in the cold if it wasn't necessary.  One of the girls asked if she could go to the barracks, she hadn't seen them yet.  I said yes and she slowly walked across the grounds.  More kids arrived and I directed them to the warmth of the center.  As the last of the students approached, the girl who made her way to the barracks alone, I could tell she was upset.  The tears flowing from her eyes were a strong reminder of how places like this can impact people.  I took her into my arms and tried to hug the pain away. I told her that we visit places like this to learn and to better prepare ourselves to prevent similar things from happening.  I am not the most emotional guy and I am not usually good in these situations, but I knew she needed some time.  Mrs. Morando soon approached the gate and the two walked off together, hand in hand, to cope with the severity of the camp.

After a few minutes, I turned to walked to the information center too.  Our group had all left the camp. The visit was over, but the experience will live on...even if they visit more than once, Dachau will still impact them.  It will resonate later in life, sometimes unexpectedly.  The motto, "One Must Travel To Learn" means more to me on days like today than others.  I hope it makes more sense to you as well.

The main gate into the camp.

A memorial to the victims.

A statue outside of the main building of the camp. You can see the barracks in the background.  When the camp was active, prisoners would gather in the open space to be accounted for.

You can see the footprint of the remaining barracks in this photo.  The trees were not there when the camp was active.

This was inside the shower room at Dachau.  At other camps, this is where the Zyklon-B would be used to exterminate those inside.

One of the burners in the crematorium.

The bathrooms for prisoners at Dachau. 

Reproductions of the beds used by prisoners.

A barrack

The main building.  You enter in the larger part to the right.

A guard tower.

Prisoner chamber in the bunker

A view down the bunker.

There is a little part of the bunker protruding into this courtyard.  Several executions occurred there.

The firing squad wall.  I am not sure, but it looks like there may be bullet holes in the wall.

A model of the full camp.  The portion preserved in just the part in front of this photo.

What used to be the bath house now holds the museum.

We returned to Norbert and the safety of our bus.  Our trip into Munich was about an hour long.  We had a great dinner at another wonderful spot.  Tonight, it was pork on pasta.  The kids really seemed to enjoy it...even if they didn't quite like the coleslaw (more for me!!!).  We then headed towards the Ibis hotel.  We checked into our rooms, had a debriefing meeting, and some of us decided to head into town for a quick visit.  We bought Metro tickets and began our trek into the city.  Most of the stores were closed, but the kids found a McDonalds for some ice cream and late night snacks.  The day was coming to an end and it was fun to just be kids again.

One the train, we met some folks from Beverly.  It was interesting to chat with folks from where we live across the world.  The conversation was quick and we were soon at our stop.  Into our rooms we went for a much needed slumber.

Not a typical post tonight.

I hope you understand.  Tomorrow, we take off for a very different excursion.  It should be magical.  I appreciate you taking the time to read and learn. I hope you will engage whomever you know on this tour about our experiences today.

Mr. Lavoie, sitting in the lounge of the Ibis Hotel...a hotel he stayed in three years ago. Deja Vu is setting in.