Discussion: Historic Gate At Dachau Concentration Camp Stolen

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Discussion for article #229620

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Visited the camp in 2011. A horrific place, within proximity to homes and a village. Strange that some nutjob stole the gate. But this place was a perfect reminder that we must not ever forget that atrocities can take place anywhere… first they came for the labor unions and political dissidents.

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Perhaps someone is gathering props for a Tea Party theme park.

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I don’t doubt that if the Germans find this guy his punishment will be more than for a simple theft - and rightly so. I think the societal importance of places like the memorial at Dachau can’t be overstated.
If you’re thinking of visiting Germany, Dachau (the town) is a cute, quaint place to stay and it’s a quick train ride to Munich. And visiting the camp is an education.

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Having visited in 2011 I have no reason to expect the authorities would work very hard to recover the stolen sign or to actively protect this site. I found th e locals quite unwelcoming to this site. Poor signage and no help to even find it, then we English speakers could just do self- guided tours and read the small print sub -titles. No help, no docents, general lackadaisical and frankly irreverent approach to hosting this monument to a shameful past. Not at all surprised that security is sloppy. The impression I had was that locals would prefer razing it to build more condos.

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Well, that would certainly explain the locals’ feelings about it. I’m sure they’d rather have it vanish completely.

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When I was there in the 80s, I was surprised it was so exposed. It was a rainy day, and we had the place to ourselves. There wasn’t a soul in sight. Anyone could take a sledge hammer, and destroy a part of history.

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This place is too important to allow it to disappear. Future holocaust deniers don’t need any help.

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I’m disappointed to learn it hasn’t changed much since I visited it in 1974, before Germany owned up to their guilt in the Holocaust, and started creating documentaries that made no excuses, but were brutally honest about their crimes.
Bavarians were the earliest supporters of Hitler, and I’ve often thought of them as the Texans of Germany, viewing themselves as the most important state in Germany.