I didn’t want to visit Dachau. Everything logical inside me told me I didn’t need to go through all that emotional turmoil again.
Le sigh.
My heart told me otherwise.
I swore to myself that I would never visit another concentration camp. My experiences at Auschwitz and Birkenau, 2 of the most notorious death camps during the Holocaust, was enough to shake me to my core and change my life.
Yet when I was planning my Christmas market adventure around southern Germany, I couldn’t help it.
I added “visit Dachau” to my itinerary.
There was just something within me that was pulling me to visit yet another concentration camp.
Surely enough time had passed, right? It’s been long enough since my last visits (2014) that I wasn’t going to ugly cry again, right?
Nope, definitely ugly-cried at the crematorium. Again.
These and so many other thoughts raced through my mind during the planning phases of my trip.
And I’m so glad I decided to visit Dachau.
Although I can’t say it was an “enjoyable” visit, it was profound and again, life-changing. And not just for me, but for my friend that I was traveling with. This was her first visit to a concentration camp.
As I prepped her for what to expect, at the camp and within her heart and mind, I was taken back to my first visit. I wished I had been a little more prepared for what to expect, but I was a new traveler on her maiden solo voyage to Europe and took it in waves.
But that doesn’t have to be the case for you. I’m here to share with you everything you need to know to make your first visit to Dachau as meaningful as possible.
What this article will not do is try to convince you why you need to visit Dachau. Or any other concentration camp. That will come later.
Basic Info about Dachau
Dachau was the first Concentration Camp built by the Nazis in 1933, and was consequently the longest running. The camp is located just outside of Munich, making it an easy visit from the metropolitan city.
Many of the original structures are still standing, along with checkpoints, walls, and, more recently, memorial structures within the camp. Visitors are welcome to join a guided tour, or tour around on their own, depending on their style, budget, and timeframe allowed.
Location
Dachau Concentration Camp is located in a town that bears the same name. The physical address is:
KZ-Gedenkstätte Dachau
Alte Römerstraße 75
85221 Dachau
Getting to Dachau
From Munich: the easiest way to physically get to Dachau is to take public transportation. There is a bus stop at the entrance to the concentration camp, making it the easiest transit possible. For route options, I used this article and HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
Costs to visit Dachau
FREE! When you visit Dachau, you can rest easy knowing that the life-changing experience is free of cost.
If you want to take a guided tour, check out the Dachau official website for the latest information. Just note that there will be a small per-person cost, but can be so worth it. When we arrived for the English tour, we found that it was sold out, so plan ahead.
Since we couldn’t take advantage of the guided tour, we opted to pay for an audio guide. There are about 14 language options available, making it the most ideal guide for non-English and non-German visitors.
The audio guides are easy to use. The guide itself looks like an old cell phone with a looped string around it. When you approach a plaque, item, or building, you enter the corresponding number on display into the audio guide. The guide will play a recording, explaining what it is that you’re looking at. I loved the audio guide, as I was able to go at my own pace, and option to go against the flow of traffic of the other visitors.
Best time to visit Dachau
There’s never a “wrong” time to visit Dachau, learn more about what happened, or expand your understanding of the atrocities that took place there. The camp is open daily 9am-5pm, except December 24-26.
Now, I’m guessing that your visit to Germany (for those coming from another country) is not circling around your visit to Dachau. So when during your trip is the best time for you to visit Dachau?
My personal recommendation is to visit Dachau towards the beginning of your trip. Give yourself a day or 2 to acclimate to Germany, get over jet lag, etc. We visited on day 2 after arriving in Germany. This way, we were still fresh into our trip, but also had time to reflect while still in the country after-the-fact.
Visiting a concentration camp will be mentally and emotionally exhausting (more on this later). You don’t want to start off already exhausted from a long journey. Nor do you want to board your flight home immediately after, not having time to let it all sink in.
Something to also keep in mind are school groups. From what I understand, it is a mandatory part of German students’ curriculum to visit a concentration camp. There will inevitably be a school group visiting every day during the school year. If you want to avoid this, consider a visit first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon. We chose to visit in the morning/early afternoon.
Have other questions?
Check out the camp’s official FAQ page for the latest up-to-date information.
Now that you know a little more about the logistics of visiting Dachau, let’s talk a little more about the personal side.
We all choose to visit a concentration camp for personal reasons. Whether it’s a genuine curiosity, a desire to step into history, retrace the journey of a distant relative, or even that mental pressure you might put on yourself to visit because it’s the “right” thing to do, you made a choice.
Those who had to endure the horrible conditions within the walls of the camp did not. They deserve your attention and effort. Here’s how you can honor their life and death when you visit Dachau.
Do a little prep work
I wrote an article a little while ago about why you should learn the history about a place before you visit for the first time. This also holds true when you visit Dachau. Doing a little bit of prep work will help bring context to your visit.
Not everyone is a historian or Holocaust scholar. Sure, we all learned about WWII and the Holocaust in school, but the truth is that most people don’t retain the information. Understandable.
But a quick refresher before your visit will do wonders. Not only will it help you recall the information, but it will ease you into a more sensitive mindset for your visit.
You don’t need to do all of the following, but you’ll have time for a few on your journey to Germany. I have personally read and watched all of these.
I recommend watching Rick Steves’ “The Story of Fascism in Europe,” “Schindler’s List,” reading “Night” by Elie Weisel, “In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson, or watch Oprah’s interview with Elie Weisel at Auschwitz. Elie Weisel was a survivor of Auschwitz and watching them return to the camp is unforgettable.
While these take place at other camps and discuss other aspects of fascism and the Holocaust, they will be invaluable tools to get you into the best mindset for your visit to any concentration camp.
Wear appropriate clothing
When you visit a concentration camp, you are visiting a memorial site. Please be respectful in your attire. A concentration camp is not a place for a lavish photo shoot with multiple outfits. As a sign of respect, wear modest clothing, whatever that means to you.
Dachau is exposed to the elements, as well as the other camps. Remember that they weren’t built with comfort in mind. During the hot summer, you won’t have a lot of refuge from the sun and heat. When I visited Auschwitz and Birkenau during July, it was unbelievably hot. When I visited Dachau in December, it was bone-chillingly cold. Make sure you check the weather before you go and wear clothes that will be comfortable.
You need good walking shoes whenever you visit Dachau. The camp is massive, the ground is wild, and you’ll be standing for long periods of time as you read the signs and plaques. Plus, if you’re anything like me, you’ll be tense during the emotional journey and will feel it as soon as you leave the camp.
Take photos with care
Dachau is a memorial to people who were slaughtered and endured conditions you and I will never experience. Keep this in mind when you start to take you pictures.
It makes me sick to my stomach when I see people running around and jumping/laying/dancing on memorial sites, completely disregarding the sacred nature of where they were.
You are welcome to take pictures. Share your experience. But do so with respect. Think about what happened.
When I first visited Auschwitz and Birkenau, I did so as a solo traveler. I didn’t feel right taking selfies everywhere I went. But I wanted to document the fact that I was there for myself. I think I took 2 selfies at Auschwitz: one under the Arbeit Macht Frei sign (entrance) with a somber expression, and the other in the gas chamber with tears running down my face. I didn’t take any selfies at Birkenau.
Taken at the crematorium and the road leading to the religious memorials.
General Conduct when you visit Dachau
Concentration camp memorials, and really, memorials in general, are a place for learning and reflection. Refrain from loud laughter, yelling or speaking loudly, and other overtly “look at me” behavior.
I’m not trying to tell you how to live your life, just how to be respectful in a special place. Don’t like my opinions? Oh well. Go somewhere else. There are plenty of places where that behavior is tolerated better.
Children under 13 aren’t recommended to visit Dachau (according to their website), as many of the exhibits might be disturbing to a younger audience who aren’t able to understand the complexities of what happened.
After you visit Dachau
After you finish your visit to Dachau, you will undoubtedly be feeling emotionally and mentally drained. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or worry about. You have just finished filling your brain with information about one of the most horrible events and places in recent history. Your heart is bursting with emotions, and it can be scary.
One of the best ways to deal with these feelings of exhaustion, fatigue, and, sometimes, helplessness, is to talk about them. Share your experience. Write in a journal. Shoot an email to a loved one. Create a vlog. When we take the time to explain what we experience, we are processing the data in our mind and extracting it. Believe me, it’s therapeutic.
I hope you are able to make the most of your experience when you visit Dachau or any concentration camp. It really is a sobering experience that is not to be missed!
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