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October 18th, part VI - The Nazi concentration camp at Dachau, Germany.


dirty starved skeletons
Prisoners of the Dachau concentration camp pour forth and cheer the arrival of American soldiers
Prisoners of the Dachau concentration camp pour forth and cheer the arrival of American soldiers
Liberation day at the Dachau concentration camp

April 28th, 1945:

A representative of the International Red Cross, Victor Maurer, negotiated successfully for the surrender of the Dachau concentration camp to American forces the following day.

April 29th, 1945:

Both the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division of the 7th Army and the 45th Thunderbird Infantry Division closed on the concentration camp from different directions. The advance team from the Rainbow Division accepted the surrender of Commandant Heinrich Wicker.

The Thunderbird Division discovered a train full of dead bodies. Fire was exchanged with SS units, and impromptu executions of SS soldiers were carried out.

The survivors of the camp poured from the barracks, hoisting their liberators on their shoulders and screaming in joy.


FREEDOM!

The survivors along the camp road, and assembled on the roll call grounds.

Survivors congregate on the camp road after liberation of the Dachau concentration camp
The survivors assemble on the roll call grounds, flying flags from their respective homelands

The 20th Armored Division - the Liberators
The 42nd Division - the Rainbow Division

The two US Army divisions that liberated the Dachau Concentration Camp on April 29th, 1945.

Imagine the horror those troops had to comprehend in such a short time.

And imagine the joy the prisoners felt, when they saw Americans at the gates.


Many people don't know that Dachau is actually the name of a German town. I certainly didn't, but Dachau the city is actually a beautiful place. We were pretty worn out, both physically and emotionally, so we grabbed a quick bite to eat and took a few pictures of Dachau before hopping back on the train to Munich.

Dachau, Germany
Dachau, Germany
<-- Oct 18th, part V   Oct 19th, part I -->

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