Today, on a rainy summer day, our group had the honor of visiting Dachau concentration camp. Our tour guide, Gerd, described the long-running camp to us in terms of the many layers it had: the town of Dachau restoring from the Middle Ages, the camp as being initially for deportees as far back as 1933, and the eventual use as a concentration camp. Many of the CWB attendees had never been to a site such as this, so Gerd took the time to help the group visualize the camp’s history, and how it ended up holding tens of thousands more prisoners than it ever was intended to hold.
What struck me as more important than just the facts, were the conversations the visit allowed us to have. Our group was able to think about and discuss the significance of the use of language like using the term “prisoner” versus “inmate” or another similar term. Our tour guide also brought another layer of meaning to our conversation when he pointed out that sometimes the guides don’t have the appropriate word to use in both German and a language they may use while leading their groups. Furthermore, languages change over time, and with the newer generations learning about the Holocaust, it’s imperative that we have these discussions.
Even during the thought-provoking exhibits and discussions, our group wanted to respect the victims that Dachau claimed, and that’s the true purpose of this memorial. Honor them and speak the truth to prevent further atrocities from happening.
