The Dachau Concentration Camp: How I Saw It

I was feeling the typical stomach-tightening, sweaty-palmed fear as I rode the bus out of Munich on my way to the Dachau concentration camp. I was worried about what I would see. Would I be able to handle it? After all, here I was, walking into a place where so many people of my faith were persecuted, tortured, and ultimately murdered.

Dachau was opened in 1933 as an internment camp for political prisoners. All of the other concentration and extermination camps in Europe were modelled after the very place I stood just yesterday.

Upon arrival, our guide, Alan, gave us the background history of the camp. He told us that the numbers of people who died there were inaccurate, because Jews, Gypsies and old or weak prisoners were not counted in the death toll because they were not considered people. Also, the majority of bodies in the mass graves were not identifiable.

To get into Dachau, students pay €18, which includes transportation, admission, and a guided tour. This struck me as bizarre. Here I am, a Jew, paying to get into a Nazi camp.

First off, we watched a 22 minute documentary, which basically outlined the history and goings-on inside the camp from 1933 to 1945. And then we walked in. We entered through the iron gate, and there were those words: Arbeit macht frei. Work makes you free. The big lie.

Upon walking into Dachau, you come across a huge gravel compound (where roll call was performed every day). To your right is a multi-purpose building, once the maintenance building, jail cells, execution area, and later, a war-crime court. Today, it is a museum. There are various memorials, including a sculpture depicting bodies entwined in barbed wire, honoring the suicides committed at Dachau. There is also a colourful mosaic representing the different groups persecuted here.

On the left are two barracks. The rest were destroyed in the 1960s. I learned that the barracks we walked through were not, in fact, original. They were built as exact replicas of the ones there during the war, but they were not authentic. For me, this took away from the effect somewhat.

After the barracks, we were shown guard towers, and the deep ditch, electric fence, and cement wall, which was the Nazis` surefire way of keeping prisoners in. Also situated here were three memorials: Jewish, Roman Catholic, and Protestant. I found it interesting how the Protestant memorial did not have any right angles. Alan explained that this was to defy the order of the war.

Then we turned the corner and arrived at what can only be described as a "death factory". It involved the disinfecting room, crematorium, corpse holding rooms...and the infamous gas chamber. There is no recorded evidence that the gas chamber at Dachau was ever used, but of course that is not necessarily accurate. It felt absolutely sick to my stomach walking through there.

It was so surreal being in a place where, had I been born in another time and place, I would have been forced into. I feel almost guilty about how lucky I am.

The sight of the gas chamber has really stuck with me. It had a low ceiling, no more than 10 feet high, and even in bright daylight it was dark, save for the small bit of light seeping through the viewing window. This was where the Nazis would stand, and watch the victims die their slow, agonizing death. It was so painful being in that tiny, stuffy room. It was so hard to come to terms with the human atrocities that had occurred right where I was standing.

Before leaving Dachau, I noticed that part of the international memorial included a plaque which read "Never Again" in five different languages. How ironic. It has happened many times since the Holocaust, and it`s happening all over the world today. The only words that come to mind when I try to describe the situation are FUCKED UP.
I`m so glad that I got the opportunity - privilege if you will - to walk through a hands-on display of a horrific part of my religious history. A history which essentially affected everyone. I strongly suggest that everyone visiting Europe visits a concentration camp or Holocaust museum. It doesn`t help us change the world situation if we choose to shelter ourselves in the favorable parts of the places we visit. Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet, and see the good, the bad and the ugly.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I`d love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

Sacre Torte, a Palace, and Damn Good Beer: Eurotrip Part 4

Here I am in Munich, the heart of Bavaria, and one of the more cultural parts of Germany. The last few days have been a whirlwind trip through Austria, and then back into Germany. I am currently staying at a hostel called the "Easy Palace". No joke. I will not turn away any judgment.

Last week, we spent three days in Vienna, a city famous for its classy lifestyle, gorgeous architecture, and sacre torte...which I didn`t actually try, but the chocolate cake exceeded its expectations with flying colours.

Although I was warned that accommodation in Vienna would be pricey, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Wombat`s hostel was actually one of the more affordable places I`ve stayed in so far! It had a very funky, welcoming atmosphere, spacious rooms, and friendly staff. I would strongly suggest it.

Vienna has an entire museum quarter, where you can flash your student card and go visit paintings by artists like Klimt and Schiele. It was €6.50 to get into one museum, so Shayla and I decided to call it a day after that one. We were looking for Klimt`s masterpiece "The Kiss", but found that we were in fact in the wrong museum. On the brigt side, I discovered that I am now a big fan of Egon Schiele`s bizarre work.

You can find all sorts of souvenirs at Vienna`s shops - the shopping wasn`t nearly as pricey as I imagined, although by no means the cheapest.

Every Saturday there is a flea market set up by the Old Town. We went with hopes of finding some decently priced souvenirs, and although quite a few stands do sell wallets, scarves and jewelery, the majority of them look like odds and ends that people have rooted out of the deep, dark crannies of their homes, and attempted to put up for sale. It`s ridiculously crowded, and after a while, it gets agitating, and I couldn`t wait to leave.

The buildings in Vienna`s old town are all incredibly beautiful, but the highlight for me was the Schloss Schönbrunn, the Hapsburg Palace.

For €13.60 (student price), you can take a tour around the first floor, and then walk through the gorgeous imperial gardens, view the property from the panoramic terrace - breathtaking - and then try your luck finding the way through a hedge maze. Fair warning: the signs in the garden are very misleading, and finding your way TO the maze is actually more challenging than the maze itself. It is well worth it in the end though!

Although I will freely admit that I am not a huge museum person, I`m very glad I saw the Schloss Schönbrunn - I mean, how many times do I get to hang out in a palace?


Vienna is definitely a must-see for anyone travelling Central Europe (that almost goes without saying). It`s rich in culture, cuisine, and pleasantly surprising affordable accommodations.

Salzburg, Austria (famous for its musical talent, Mozart, and even moreso, The Sound of Music) is the most perfect, idyllic town I`ve even seen. Not only is it surprisingly affordable, but it has a very laid-back, friendly welcoming vibe. The whole city, not just the hills, are alive with The Sound of Music. Everywhere you turn there are tours, visuals, or souvinirs dedicated to the classic film.

Shayla, Steph, Julie and I did not take a tour around Salzburg because it was quite expensive (€33), but we did see some of the places where the movie was filmed, such as the fountain in the central square (where Julie Andrews belts out "I Have Confidence"), the steps in a city garden (where part of "Do Re Me" is performed), and the back of the house used as the Von Trapp family villa (on a lake just outside of town, surrounded by a swimming pool and bike path). I can`t wait to watch the movie again, and point out to anyone who will listen all the places I was!

I would strongly push a trip to Salzburg to anyone in or around Austria. The cathedrals, fountains and gardens are absolutely gorgeous, the city is very clean, and it had a fun, welcoming atmosphere, which only added to the allure.

Munich, our next stop, where I currently sit, is the capital of Bavaria. Before arriving, everyone I knew who had been to Munich told me that it was the absolute best place to go in Germany. To be honest, I haven`t felt exactly that way. Don`t get me wrong, I really like Munich - although it has somewhat of a big-city feel, it seems much more cultured and welcoming than Frankfurt. I`ve come to the conclusion that the nightlife must be what all the fuss is about.

I`m not going to lie, I really enjoyed the beer hall (built in the 1500s, the oldest in Munich, and home to the hugest beer mugs I`ve ever seen). The Old Town is very beautiful, and the English Garden - bigger than both Central and Hyde Parks - is stunning, and a great place to come together and relax.

There are some great day trips from Munich, such as the Dachau concentration camp (which I visited), and the Neuschwanstein Castle (built by the crazy King Ludwig, and model to Walt Disney`s dream castle). Steph and Julie are there as I write this.

Despite Munich not exactly being the be-all-and-end-all of Germany (in my opinion), I`m glad I spent some time here. There is no shortage of things to do, people to meet, and beer to drink. It is a must for anyone visiting Bavaria.

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I`d love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

The End of Germany (for now): Eurotrip Part 3

Here I am sitting in a funky little hostel in Vienna! After surviving a seven-hour train trip, I've decided to wind down and record the next saga of Eurotrip 2009!



After one relaxing but quick day in Bonn, Shayla and I took an hour train ride to Frankfurt where we met Steph and Julie. The hostel we stayed in (the Frankfurt Hostel) was quite nice, although it was huge. It was also conveniently located in the sketchier part of town, with an abundance of hookers, sex shops and other shady looking people and places.

To be honest, I didn't become a huge fan of Frankfurt. I'm really glad we made the decision to only stay one night and then move on. It was stifling hot that day, and the smog in the air only made it worse. I was sweating bullets after being outside for five minutes, and I found that after walking around for a few hours we were all totally drained - props to Steph for battling jet lag and coming with us!

Because Frankfurt is one of the world's corporate capitals, many of the buildings are huge skyscrapers, giving off that intimidating, big-city feel. However, it felt like any generic big city. There was much less culture in Frankfurt than Bonn or Cologne. The only thing we could think of to do was walk to the Old City, and even then the shopping was expensive. 4€ for a shot glass? Come on! Perhaps if I had more dough to blow I would have had a better time in Frankfurt. I know that there are much worse places in the world that I could have ended up, but if I may give my honest opinion, I would suggest backpackers in Germany give Frankfurt a miss - or stay one night at most!

Heidelberg - where we found ourselves next - was the complete opposite to the hustle and stress of Frankfurt. With a reputation of being one of Germany's more romantic cities, it had a very laid-back, welcoming atmosphere, much like Bonn. Although Heidelberg isn't the home of hundreds of amazing tourist attractions, just walking around the cobblestone streets and seeing all the charming buildings in the Old Town is pretty satisfying! The shopping is quite reasonably priced, and the people are all so friendly. For example, one of the staff at Steffis hostel (which was unfortunately booked up when we arrived) phoned around and landed us a room at another youth hostel. She really went out of her way, and I know we were all VERY grateful!

Anyone visting Heidelberg should definitely make a point of visiting the Schloss, a castle on a hill overlooking the city. Not only is it a small €1.50 when you flash your handy dandy student card, but it has the most unbelievable view of the city - from up there you can see everything! Besides viewpoints you can find gift shops, a pharmacy museum, picturesque courtyards, and a wine cellar with the most gigantic kegs I've ever seen inside the castle. Because it is a bit of a climb (over 300 steps) to get there, I would definitely suggest going in the evening if the day is a scorcher.

We moved on from Heidelberg the next day and stayed in Freiburg for a night. Freiburg is another cute, traditional German town in the heart of the world-famous Black Forest. Although stories of sorcerers, witches and werewolves (think Hansel and Gretel) surround the Black Forest, I can honestly say that I LOVED it - but that could be because I managed to avoid a nasty encounter with a werewolf or witch. I was surprised to find that the Black Forest was less evergreen-y, and much more comparable to the rainforests on Vancouver Island - ferns and all. The humidity everywhere I've been so far is unreal - and it's doing crazy things to my hair!


We did see bakeries selling delicious-looking Black Forest cake all over Freiburg, but we made the tragic mistake of going hiking first, and when we ventured back into town, the cake was sold out - everywhere! I'll probably never live that down.

The weather in the Black Forest set the perfect mood that day - it was pretty dark (although not cold), and there was distant thunder. Althought there was a huge downpour earlier in the day, the rain stopped long enough for us to go for a good hike. Flocks of crows kept flying over us, and quite a few times we saw forks of lightning that can really only be described as "badass". I can see where the stories come f
rom. All in all, the Black Forest exceeded the expectations I had!

Now, here I sit in Vienna. We had to wake up at 6:00 am to catch a train back to Frankfurt (joy), and from there, we rode to Vienna. It hurts me to think that the train ride was only an hour shorter than the flight from Calgary to Glasgow. However, I have no doubt that Vienna will be worth it!

We're spending three days in Vienna, one in Salzburg (where the hills are alive), backtracking to Munich and Dachau, and then heading to Prague...and from there who knows? I can't believe that I've been here a week! It feels like it's been both longer and shorter.

Happy belated birthday, Mom! For now, I think I'm going to retire back to my room in the Wombat's hostel. I need my beauty sleep!

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

Chocolate, Stairs, and a Hint of Relaxation: Eurotrip Part 2

Well, here I am in an internet cafe in Frankfurt! The last three days have definitely been somewhat whirlwind, but fantastic none the less!

After leaving Amsterdam, Shayla and I made our way to Cologne, Germany's sixth largest city. Also, Germany's oldest. About 90 percent of Cologne was destroyed during WWII, but thankfully, some of the oldest parts survived, and we were able to see them.

Like Amsterdam, Cologne is busy, and therefore I don't feel the least bit threatened, nervous, or paranoid about being pick pocketed. We walked EVERYWHERE, and when I get home I'm going to need a world-class foot massage...any takers?

Unlike Amsterdam, Cologne is much easier to find your way around. In Amsterdam, every street has a row of beautiful brick buildings and a canal. It's gorgeous, but I found that every street tends to blend together in one's memory, making it tricky to find where you're going. In Cologne, the buildings are much more distinctive, and although we've been lost a fair few times there are more landmarks. If you can find the Rhine River, you can find almost any tourist attraction. And you can see the Dom from most angles of the city, helping you find your way downtown.



The Dom was the first thing we saw when we got off the train. "Mind blowing" is a huge understatement. We were shouting out "wow!" at our first glance. The Dom is a huge, HUGE cathedral. which survived the bombings of WWII. It has the most stunning stained glass windows, turrets and steeples I've ever seen. You can walk around inside (for free), and from the inside you can see how gigantic it is. Sculptures of saints stare down at you from every angle, and row upon row of pews line the aisles.

Shayla and I paid 1 € (reduced rate when you flash your International Student Card), and climbed the belfry in the Dom. You walk up over 500 stairs...in a tight, dimly lit spiral staircase. Unlike the last bell tower I climbed in Ecuador, the stairs seemed quite solid, the railings were stable, and the upper ledge (over 300 feet in the air) is fenced off so that there is literally no chance of falling. Was it any less terrifying? No, it was not.

After climbing back down all those stairs, we decided to stop in Cologne's famous chololate museum. With your student card you can get in for 5 €. The museum shows how chocolate is made, beginning in the rainforests and ending in the shops. Did you know that 75% of cocoa farmers have never even tasted a piece of chocolate? I didn't.

Upstairs in the museum is the chocolate factory, where they hand out a free sample. I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed that there weren't more samples, but I would still suggest the museum to anyone travelling in Cologne.

There are tons and tons of Kebab shops in Cologne (pretty much the only places open past 7, besides the bars), and the other night I ate the most phenomenal veggie kebab known to humankind. Kudos!

The next day we headed to Bonn (just south of Cologne...Beethoven's hometown, and West Germany's capital until 1990). Bonn is not as touristy as Cologne, so it is harder to find people who speak fluent English. All in all, Bonn is a beautiful little town, with a more traditional German feel. There aren't tons and tons of things to do, but it's less expensive than Cologne, and very relaxing. I would strongly suggest it!

Now, here I am in Frankfurt. To be honest, I'm glad I came, but one day is enough. Our hostel is right in the area with the most strip clubs and sex shops in the city. It could be a rowdy night.

Until I write again...

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

The beginning of Eurotrip 2009!

Well, here it is: Eurotrip 2009! I'm finally here after two whole years of making and changing plans! After a long, painstaking wait in the Calgary International Airport, another painful 8 hours in the air, and a delayed flight in London Gatwick airport, we landed! So far I've only been in Amsterdam for a day and a half, but after 8 ish hours of walking today, I can safely say that I've seen a whole lot of the original Sin City!

After arriving at the Schipol airport, buying a ticket and catching a train last night, we were given some vague directions to our hostel...and after wandering with increasingly heavy backpacks, and stress levels hitting the roof, we made it! The Stayokay Stadstoelen hostel is pretty big, and extremely expensive, but for two nights in Amsterdam, it has proven clean, and it's near all the good stuff.

Today, Shayla and I met up with her friend Sjoerd, who is local to Holland, and he took on the role of tour guide, which he perfected! He took us all around the city. We saw gorgeous old churches, went on a canal tour around the city (the canals, might I add, are the only reason why The Netherlands aren't under the sea right now), sampled Jupiler beer (excellent), and of course, walked through the infamous Red Light District...much of which has been shut down.



It's pretty mind blowing to see all of those women of all nationalities standing there behind the glass wearing fancy lingerie and doing their best to lure men their way. Although it's a must for any traveller in Amsterdam, I found it quite sad. The Red Light District is peppered with sex shops, peep shows, sketchy nightclubs, and "coffee shops" (where you can buy all kinds of dope). Photography is prohibited in the Red Light District, so despite how badly I wanted some visual memories, I had to restrain. Not only did I want to be respectful towards the prostitutes (laugh if you will), but I've heard that they can get pretty angry and sometimes violent...which I think I'd like to avoid if at all possible...after all, I've only been here a day.

Despite all the "be careful" warnings I received before leaving, I can honestly say that in Amsterdam, I did not feel threatened or uncomfortable at all. It was nice to have a local with us - especially in the Red Light District, but for the most part, everyone is friendly, and if you keep your wits about you and are aware of your surroundings - like you would be at home - you're guaranteed to have a lovely time!

Questions? Comments? Criticisms? I'd love to hear them all!
the-wanderingjew@hotmail.com

I promise that I'll get some pictures up soon! Also, once we move on to Cologne, Frankfurt (where we meet up with Steph and Julie) and Heidlberg, expect some more blogging!