Dachau Depression Doesn't Dampen Day
(for long)
Internet continued to be frustrating. Sometimes it was better if you went to the lobby, but I liked to blog in my jammies before bed- which was when everybody else wanted to get online. It was terrible. But I'm not a grump. I smiled!
We had a great final breakfast in Rothenburg at 6:30. Most days it was breakfast at 7AM, and off to activities or bus at 8. This time, we had to be on the bus at 7:45.
Illness hit our group. It started with Barb and soon her husband, Imants was down. This time, Bucky was coughing. I decided to stay in the front of the bus!
We had a great final breakfast in Rothenburg at 6:30. Most days it was breakfast at 7AM, and off to activities or bus at 8. This time, we had to be on the bus at 7:45.
Illness hit our group. It started with Barb and soon her husband, Imants was down. This time, Bucky was coughing. I decided to stay in the front of the bus!
Soon we were parked outside of Dachau. Dachau isn't known for being a death camp, like Auschwitz or Bergen-Belsen or others. In fact, although it has a gas chamber, it was originally said that it was never used. Evidence now shows it was, indeed used, just not as actively as other places. Make no mistake, it was a concentration camp. People were worked to death, starved to death and exposed to disease that killed them if the other things didn't. Tens of thousands of God's precious people died horribly there.
Dimitri led us in and introduced us to our guide. Our guided tour lasted about an hour and then were given another hour or so on our own. It was enough.
I had prepared for this to be an emotional experience for me. However my goal was not to make a blubbering fool of myself. I was quite proud for having toured through the camp, tearing up a few times, emotional for sure, but in control. I was fine until the very end. Then, I returned through the gate where we entered, those terrible gates with the words: ARBEIT MACHT FREI, literal translation- work makes free (work will set you free). As I read those words, I heard the birds singing a beautiful spring song. I thought of the many people who must have heard those same songs of nature. What must it have been like to be imprisoned, starving and without hope, and then hearing those birds sing. The birds were free. The people were not. Then came the harsher truth, I was walking through those gates of my own will. How many others were forced to enter, but never had the satisfaction of exiting? It was too much. My voice locked up in my throat.
I walked back to the bus, focusing on only breathing. Dimitri greeted me outside of the bus, smiling and offering snacks. I'd forgotten that while we were touring, Dimitri and Richard were lining up treats for us upon our return since lunch was a ways off. I shook my head no and walked away and he came after me. "I have pretzels," he said happily (I'd mentioned being excited to try German pretzels). I shook my head no again and he must have then seen my face. "Ok," he said and nodded at me. I walked around to the other side of the bus from where everybody else was. There were trees lining the edge of the parking area and I tucked myself in there. I needed to breathe.
I'm not sure how long I was there in the trees, half an hour? Twenty minutes? Long enough to regain the ability to breathe without thinking about it. Long enough to lose the desire to throw myself on the ground and scream and cry. Long enough to begin to process all that I was feeling. The sound of the bus running alerted me that I needed to rejoin the living. Everybody was on the bus but Dimitri. When he saw me he put his arm around my shoulders. "Are you okay?" I choked up again and got out a "yeah". He gave me a squeeze and explained that he understood fully.
I appreciated that. A lot.
Dimitri led us in and introduced us to our guide. Our guided tour lasted about an hour and then were given another hour or so on our own. It was enough.
I had prepared for this to be an emotional experience for me. However my goal was not to make a blubbering fool of myself. I was quite proud for having toured through the camp, tearing up a few times, emotional for sure, but in control. I was fine until the very end. Then, I returned through the gate where we entered, those terrible gates with the words: ARBEIT MACHT FREI, literal translation- work makes free (work will set you free). As I read those words, I heard the birds singing a beautiful spring song. I thought of the many people who must have heard those same songs of nature. What must it have been like to be imprisoned, starving and without hope, and then hearing those birds sing. The birds were free. The people were not. Then came the harsher truth, I was walking through those gates of my own will. How many others were forced to enter, but never had the satisfaction of exiting? It was too much. My voice locked up in my throat.
I walked back to the bus, focusing on only breathing. Dimitri greeted me outside of the bus, smiling and offering snacks. I'd forgotten that while we were touring, Dimitri and Richard were lining up treats for us upon our return since lunch was a ways off. I shook my head no and walked away and he came after me. "I have pretzels," he said happily (I'd mentioned being excited to try German pretzels). I shook my head no again and he must have then seen my face. "Ok," he said and nodded at me. I walked around to the other side of the bus from where everybody else was. There were trees lining the edge of the parking area and I tucked myself in there. I needed to breathe.
I'm not sure how long I was there in the trees, half an hour? Twenty minutes? Long enough to regain the ability to breathe without thinking about it. Long enough to lose the desire to throw myself on the ground and scream and cry. Long enough to begin to process all that I was feeling. The sound of the bus running alerted me that I needed to rejoin the living. Everybody was on the bus but Dimitri. When he saw me he put his arm around my shoulders. "Are you okay?" I choked up again and got out a "yeah". He gave me a squeeze and explained that he understood fully.
I appreciated that. A lot.
It might seem weird or inappropriate to go to a beer garden after the camp, but it was actually perfect. The two hour bus ride gave us time to process our individual feelings and rest. The beer garden gave us a chance to regain our joy and be thankful. It's so important to remember and honor those who died and sometimes the best way to do that is to live to the fullest for those who couldn't- or can't.
The town of Andechs is charming. The amount of stairs we had to climb to get to our destination? Not so charming, ha ha! While Dimitri and some of the others were eager to eat some steckerlfisch (yes, fried fish on a stick, complete with scales and eyeballs) the rest of us climbed a little higher to enjoy other delights- such as pork knuckles, sauerkraut, pretzels and beer! Afterwards, a few of us sat in a nearby park and just enjoyed the day.
The town of Andechs is charming. The amount of stairs we had to climb to get to our destination? Not so charming, ha ha! While Dimitri and some of the others were eager to eat some steckerlfisch (yes, fried fish on a stick, complete with scales and eyeballs) the rest of us climbed a little higher to enjoy other delights- such as pork knuckles, sauerkraut, pretzels and beer! Afterwards, a few of us sat in a nearby park and just enjoyed the day.
Our next stop, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, is the Wieskirche. The Wieskirche dates back to the mid 1700's. Originally there was a little chapel built to house a wooden Christ that cried tears. The act was officially called a miracle and soon people began to make pilgrimages to worship the crying Christ. The little chapel was too small and soon this beautiful Rococo Church was built for the Christ. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. My pictures don't begin to do justice to the beauty here.
On the bus again, and soon we had an unexpected vision before us- Neuschwanstein Castle (Noy schwan stein). What a sight to behold! Watching all of the paragliders coming down was pretty cool too.
Soon we arrived in the storybook town of Reutte (Roy-tah). The Hotel Maximillian is lovely and my room was absolutely charming.
Home Happy Home~ Hotel Maximilian
We had about an hour to settle in before coming down to a group dinner. Gabby was our host, and Dimitri made sure to help us "cram" for the exam he knew she'd give us. She asked fun trivia questions like: Who is the president of Austria (Heinz Fisher) and What province is Reutte located in (Tirol).
We then had a wonderfully delicious dinner and dessert.
Did I mention this hotel has a pool table too?
We then had a wonderfully delicious dinner and dessert.
Did I mention this hotel has a pool table too?
I was still finding evidence from my Amsterdam fall- my ankle swelled up at night and bruises were still popping up.
After supper, everybody scrambled to the lobby area to get some wi-fi. Not with much luck, either. Instead we had drinks and then headed to bed. I was excited for the next day- castle day.