by Celeste Lipford and Terry Lipford - last updated on 9/24/2025
During our road trip through Bavaria, we included a visit to Dachau Memorial as a day trip from Munich. While we typically capture dozens of photos at each destination, here we took very few—out of respect for the setting and because we were so absorbed by the weight of the history around us. The atmosphere is quiet, reverent, and deeply impactful.
Dachau was the first concentration camp established by the Nazis in 1933, and it became the model for others across Germany and occupied Europe. Today, it stands as a solemn memorial site where visitors can confront history, pay respect to the victims, and reflect on the importance of remembrance. Walking through the preserved barracks, the exhibition halls, and the memorial chapels is both moving and sobering.
The number of people who died in the Dachau concentration camp is officially given as 31,951. Dachau was originally intended to house political prisoners and opponents of the Nazi government for the purpose of forced labor.
After the advent of the Holocaust and Nazi Germany's "final solution" to exterminate the Jewish population of Europe, Dachau was used to house Jews and other groups who were targeted in the Holocaust, such as homosexuals, gypsies, religious minorities, communists, and prisoners from German-occupied countries.
The Nazis established approximately 110 camps (based on the Dachau "model") starting in 1933 to imprison political opponents and other undesirables. The number increased as the Third Reich expanded and the Germans began occupying parts of Europe. When the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum first began to document all of the camps, the belief was that the list would total approximately 7,000. However, researchers found that the Nazis actually established about 42,500 camps and ghettoes between 1933 and 1945. This figure includes 30,000 slave labor camps; 1,150 Jewish ghettoes, 980 concentration camps; 1,000 POW camps; 500 brothels filled with sex slaves; and thousands of other camps used for euthanizing the elderly and infirm; Germanizing prisoners or transporting victims to killing centers. The Berlin, Germany area alone had nearly 3,000 camps. Dachau was liberated by American forces on April 29, 1945, if you are interested in reading more about Concentration Camps, click here to view a good article.
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The Dachau Memorial includes an extensive museum housed in the original camp buildings. The exhibition traces the rise of the Nazi regime, the establishment of the concentration camp system, and Dachau’s role as the prototype for camps that followed.
Visitors can walk through rooms filled with historical documents, photographs, and artifacts that illustrate both the daily life of prisoners and the broader machinery of persecution. Personal stories and testimonies are woven into the displays, giving a human face to what might otherwise seem like overwhelming statistics.
One section focuses on the political opponents, religious figures, and persecuted minorities who were imprisoned here. Another highlights the camp’s liberation by U.S. forces in 1945 and the efforts to bring those responsible to justice. The exhibitions are thoughtfully curated, with a balance of historical detail and personal narrative that leaves a lasting impression on anyone who visits.
Much of the Dachau camp layout is preserved, and walking through the grounds provides a powerful sense of scale. Visitors can see the wide central roll-call area, the long rows where barracks once stood, and the perimeter fences that enclosed the prisoners. Only two barracks have been reconstructed, but their sparse interiors give a stark idea of how overcrowded conditions became, with dozens of prisoners crammed into bunks designed for far fewer. The open foundations of the other barracks extend in neat rows across the site — a haunting reminder of how large the camp grew during its operation. Watchtowers, fences, and gates still frame the camp, reinforcing its oppressive atmosphere.
At the far end of the grounds stands the crematorium complex, one of the most sobering areas of the memorial. Built to dispose of the bodies of prisoners who died from disease, malnutrition, or execution, the buildings include original ovens that remain in place today. Nearby are rooms that illustrate the systematic cruelty of the camp system. Visiting this part of Dachau is emotionally challenging, but it is central to understanding the reality of what happened here. The crematorium is preserved not to shock, but to ensure that future generations confront the consequences of unchecked hate and authoritarianism.
In the decades after liberation, a number of religious communities built memorial chapels on the site to honor the victims. The Catholic Mortal Agony of Christ Chapel, the Protestant Church of Reconciliation, and the Jewish Memorial all stand within the camp grounds. Each structure is designed in a different style, but all serve as places of quiet reflection. These chapels underscore that Dachau was not only a site of suffering, but also one of remembrance and resilience. Visitors often pause here at the end of their visit to reflect on the weight of history and the responsibility to carry its lessons forward.
Unveiled in 1968, the International Monument sits near the center of the memorial site and is one of Dachau’s most striking features. Designed by sculptor Nandor Glid, himself a Holocaust survivor, the sculpture depicts twisted human forms entangled in barbed wire. Its stark imagery captures the suffering endured by prisoners while also symbolizing endurance and remembrance. The monument stands as a permanent reminder that Dachau is not just a historical site, but a place of conscience — calling on visitors from around the world to remember the victims and remain vigilant against oppression and hatred.
In the years immediately following World War II, Dachau was not formally preserved. Many of the original buildings were left to decay, and the site was used for other purposes, including temporary housing for refugees. By the late 1950s, survivors and local advocates began to push for the camp’s preservation as a place of remembrance. Responding to these calls, the Bavarian government eventually took responsibility for Dachau and created the memorial site that exists today.
During this process, only two barracks were reconstructed to represent conditions inside the camp, while most of the others were demolished, leaving just the concrete foundations. Memorial chapels were later built to honor victims of different faiths, and the museum exhibitions were gradually expanded. Today’s Dachau Memorial reflects both the original structures that survived and the deliberate efforts to preserve and interpret the site for future generations.
Before you go, here’s what you should know to have a respectful, well-planned visit. Dachau is not just a site to see — its emotional weight and history demand preparation. The following tips will help you make the most of the museum, grounds, and memorial chapels, while honoring the significance of what happened here.
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