Waking Up
Since I was up late the night before catching up with my brother I set the alarm later than I normally would. Unfortunately for me, a family in the room across from me was up early and very noisy. I did my best to sleep through it and was up by 11am. Breakfast was finished at 10am, so I would have to pickup food on the way. I had no set itinerary for the day, but I did have a loose list of places I wanted to visit before leaving Munich. Today would be my only full day in Munich before moving on, so I wanted to make the most of it. After taking a quick shower I took a list of the notes I made the night earlier. The Dachau Concentration Camp was about 30 minutes away and closed at 5pm. I figured worst case I would get there at 1pm, spend 2 hours touring, and have 2 hours to spend at the BMW museum which closed at 6pm. Since I had a busy day, I grabbed some fast food right outside the camp and read up on the camp.
Dachau Concentration Camp
This is sad, but before coming to Munich I don't recall learning the significance of the Dachau camp. Sure I had heard of Auschwitz and some of the other camps in Poland, but I don't recall learning about the significance of Dachau. Dachau is significant because it literally was the mother of all Nazi concentration camps. It was the first camp, created as a model for the others that would be created down the road. It was also the only concentration camp to be opened throughout the duration of Hitler's rule. Prior to being a concentration camp, the Dachau grounds were an abandoned munitions factory. Although Dachau has all the necessary components to be an extermination camp, it's not believed people were slaughtered in numbers. Most died due to disease or malnutrition. The ideas created and tested at Dachau would serve as a model for the extermination camps to be build down the road.
Outside the camp is a memorial. Without using any words the memorial conveys a message. I was pleased to see admission to the camp was free. I find it disturbing that the Oklahoma City Bombing (OKCB) and (yet to open) World Trade Center (WTC) museum charge admission. Parking wasn't free, but finding a spot along the camp was not a problem at all. An audio tour is available for a few euros and did a great job explaining what each room of the camp was and what each exhibit meant.
From the outside, the camp looks no different than a prison. A fence covers the perimeter with guard towers every few hundred yards. There's also an interior fence and a trench between. It was said on the tour that guards would occasionally let prisoners pass the first gate, only to shoot them as they approached the second gate to collect a bonus. Guards would also bait prisoners into escape so they could fire and kill them, ultimately to collect a bonus.
The museum on the camp walks guests through a timeline going back to the early 1900s. The exhibits explain the various periods of time leading up to and following world war II. The museum does highlight the various doctors and other members of the Nazi party who helped ensure the concentration camps functioned on a day to day basis. It also covers the Nuremberg trials where some were ultimately prosecuted. There are a number of religious memorials throughout the site. The Jewish memorial was simply amazing.
Visiting the camp is an emotionally jarring experiencing. It's difficult to visualize the camp barracks holding 5,000 people, let alone 12,000 or more that ended up confined. The showers and crematorium also were extremely difficult to walk through.
The exhibits do a good job showing how the camp had to accommodate for 10 times were occupants per barrack than was originally planned. The museum is also remarkably honest about what happened, even stating that US military strong suggests most of the people in the town new exactly what was going on at the camp yet did little. The museum also reviews the sorts of people who were detained by the Nazi forces (e.g., suspected homosexuals, sick as well as Jews). Another blog exists that does a good job showing the camp in photos if you are curious. Although I planned to leave after a couple of hours, I ended up staying to closing. I spent almost 5 hours walking through the museum and grounds.
Olympic Village
I think the first time I learned about Munich was when I learned about the 1972 Olympic Games and the ensuing Munich massacre. Although the massacre happened before I was born, I had read a lot about it and wanted to see were the sad events took place. I was also curious to see what an Olympic Village looked like in part because Chicago was in the running for the Olympics in 2016.
BMW Welt Plant
Directly adjacent to Olympic park are a number of BMW buildings and offices. While there are an enormous number of BMW buildings within the neighboring blocks, a building called BMW Welt stands out above the rest. The building is impossible to miss as you drive or walk past it - it's an architectural marvel. Within this building is BMW's current line up and other showrooms. In the adjacent buildings is the BMW museum and the final assembly plant for many BMW cars. BMW allows international purchasers to take delivery of the car at Welt, tour the factory, and drive the car around Europe before it's shipped to the selling dealership for final delivery. The original owner of my car did just that. I remember asking him about it, figuring it would be an incredible experience. He said it was neat, but mentioned there was a lot they left out in the sales pitch. Most people know large parts of the autobahns have no speed limits - so the vision many have is driving their car at top speeds throughout Germany and surrounding countries. However, BMW discourages driving over 100mph during the break in period - limiting the dream often imagined by those picking up their car.
Tomorrow
I had no set plan to be up at a certain time, but there was still plenty to do in Munich.
Since I was up late the night before catching up with my brother I set the alarm later than I normally would. Unfortunately for me, a family in the room across from me was up early and very noisy. I did my best to sleep through it and was up by 11am. Breakfast was finished at 10am, so I would have to pickup food on the way. I had no set itinerary for the day, but I did have a loose list of places I wanted to visit before leaving Munich. Today would be my only full day in Munich before moving on, so I wanted to make the most of it. After taking a quick shower I took a list of the notes I made the night earlier. The Dachau Concentration Camp was about 30 minutes away and closed at 5pm. I figured worst case I would get there at 1pm, spend 2 hours touring, and have 2 hours to spend at the BMW museum which closed at 6pm. Since I had a busy day, I grabbed some fast food right outside the camp and read up on the camp.
Dachau Concentration Camp
This is sad, but before coming to Munich I don't recall learning the significance of the Dachau camp. Sure I had heard of Auschwitz and some of the other camps in Poland, but I don't recall learning about the significance of Dachau. Dachau is significant because it literally was the mother of all Nazi concentration camps. It was the first camp, created as a model for the others that would be created down the road. It was also the only concentration camp to be opened throughout the duration of Hitler's rule. Prior to being a concentration camp, the Dachau grounds were an abandoned munitions factory. Although Dachau has all the necessary components to be an extermination camp, it's not believed people were slaughtered in numbers. Most died due to disease or malnutrition. The ideas created and tested at Dachau would serve as a model for the extermination camps to be build down the road.
Outside the camp is a memorial. Without using any words the memorial conveys a message. I was pleased to see admission to the camp was free. I find it disturbing that the Oklahoma City Bombing (OKCB) and (yet to open) World Trade Center (WTC) museum charge admission. Parking wasn't free, but finding a spot along the camp was not a problem at all. An audio tour is available for a few euros and did a great job explaining what each room of the camp was and what each exhibit meant.
From the outside, the camp looks no different than a prison. A fence covers the perimeter with guard towers every few hundred yards. There's also an interior fence and a trench between. It was said on the tour that guards would occasionally let prisoners pass the first gate, only to shoot them as they approached the second gate to collect a bonus. Guards would also bait prisoners into escape so they could fire and kill them, ultimately to collect a bonus.
The museum on the camp walks guests through a timeline going back to the early 1900s. The exhibits explain the various periods of time leading up to and following world war II. The museum does highlight the various doctors and other members of the Nazi party who helped ensure the concentration camps functioned on a day to day basis. It also covers the Nuremberg trials where some were ultimately prosecuted. There are a number of religious memorials throughout the site. The Jewish memorial was simply amazing.
Visiting the camp is an emotionally jarring experiencing. It's difficult to visualize the camp barracks holding 5,000 people, let alone 12,000 or more that ended up confined. The showers and crematorium also were extremely difficult to walk through.
The exhibits do a good job showing how the camp had to accommodate for 10 times were occupants per barrack than was originally planned. The museum is also remarkably honest about what happened, even stating that US military strong suggests most of the people in the town new exactly what was going on at the camp yet did little. The museum also reviews the sorts of people who were detained by the Nazi forces (e.g., suspected homosexuals, sick as well as Jews). Another blog exists that does a good job showing the camp in photos if you are curious. Although I planned to leave after a couple of hours, I ended up staying to closing. I spent almost 5 hours walking through the museum and grounds.
Me looking inside
Arbeit Macht Frei - Work Makes You Free
Outside Museum on the camp
Stones cover were barracks once stood
Close up of monument
Reconstructed barrack
(all were torn down after WWII)
Jewish Memorial
I think the first time I learned about Munich was when I learned about the 1972 Olympic Games and the ensuing Munich massacre. Although the massacre happened before I was born, I had read a lot about it and wanted to see were the sad events took place. I was also curious to see what an Olympic Village looked like in part because Chicago was in the running for the Olympics in 2016.
Building 31
Marker outside building - rocks are detached
Placing rocks over a grave is common Jewish tradition
BMW Welt Plant
Directly adjacent to Olympic park are a number of BMW buildings and offices. While there are an enormous number of BMW buildings within the neighboring blocks, a building called BMW Welt stands out above the rest. The building is impossible to miss as you drive or walk past it - it's an architectural marvel. Within this building is BMW's current line up and other showrooms. In the adjacent buildings is the BMW museum and the final assembly plant for many BMW cars. BMW allows international purchasers to take delivery of the car at Welt, tour the factory, and drive the car around Europe before it's shipped to the selling dealership for final delivery. The original owner of my car did just that. I remember asking him about it, figuring it would be an incredible experience. He said it was neat, but mentioned there was a lot they left out in the sales pitch. Most people know large parts of the autobahns have no speed limits - so the vision many have is driving their car at top speeds throughout Germany and surrounding countries. However, BMW discourages driving over 100mph during the break in period - limiting the dream often imagined by those picking up their car.
Tomorrow
I had no set plan to be up at a certain time, but there was still plenty to do in Munich.
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