Visit Dachau

Dachau, located in southern Germany’s Upper Bavaria, is a major district town of the administrative region, about 20 kilometers north-west of Munich. The town, now a popular residential area for those working in Munich, currently serves approximately 40,000 inhabitants.

The late 19^th century ushered a new wave of artists to Dachau. The town received prestigious recognition as one of Germany’s most important artist’s colonies.

Unfortunately, the Second World War resulted in the construction of a Nazi-German concentration camp in Dachau, the nation’s very first concentration camp, operating from 1933 to 1948. It served as the prototype for all other such camps. 25,613 prisoners are believed to have died in the camp and almost another 10,000 in its sub-camps.

The camp’s served for the first twelve years at an internment center of the Third Reich. From 1933 to 1938, the prisoners consisted of mainly German nationals detained for political reasons. From 1938 onward, a significant population of German Jews also joined the list of Dachau detainees. The camp ultimately held a variety of international prisoners under the forces of the Third Reich. Following 1948, the location served as a United States Army base and housed members of the German population expelled from Czechoslovakia. The facility was finally closed in 1960.

The Dachau Concentration Camp memorial site now attracts many visitors wishing to honor those tragically lost and learn more about that fateful period.

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.