In the late 1930's, Hitler decided that he needed prison camps to keep criminals, political opponents, and anyone else who got in his way.  Eventually, these camps would be scattered through all of the lands controlled by the Nazi's and would hold millions of people.  What started out as prisons, soon became home to unspeakable horrors of torture and mass murder.

Dachau was one of the first camps and the training ground for the leaders of the other camps.  It was here that the now infamous medical testing was performed.  Although mass murder was never carried out here, the camp contains the gas chambers disguised as shower stalls as well as multiple crematoriums.

The camp is located in the bustling town of Dachau, Germany.  We expected the camp to be located well away from the public so that there would be few witnesses to what went on.  We were surprised to learn the opposite.  It was just near the edge of town and not hidden or private at all--just very well secured.

Today, the camp is a memorial to the memory of the people that suffered and reminder of just how quickly we can loose our humanity in the quest for power.  Given the political tension in Austria at the time, this was a particularly strong point.