Never again does not mean I’d never go back. I actually think everyone who has the chance to visit should. It’s even required that once children going to school in Germany enter 8th grade they are to visit and be educated on what
happened. It’s not a visit that you enjoy and to say my feelings are all over the place on this would be an understatement.
No amount of documentaries, movies, books or photos could prepare me for how I felt upon entering the gates at Dachau. The rot iron gate at the entrance reads “Arbeit Macht Frei” or work sets you free. For the 100s of thousands of humans that entered those gates, the only way they would really become free would be to die.
Even after the liberation of the camp on April 29, 1945, an additional 7,000 humans died. They survived the brutal and barbaric conditions under Hitler, Himmler and the SS, only to fall to their death when freedom was at their fingertips.
On the site of Dachau, which is now a memorial, there are 5 different denominations of churches or places of worship, Protestant, Catholic, Carmelite, Jewish and Russian Orthodox.
These places of worship continue to hold services today. When the bulk of my tour was complete our guide encouraged us to spend some time in the museum. I chose to visit each of the churches instead. Oddly enough, I felt a sense of belonging in every one of them and prayed the same prayer in each one that our world never see something like this again. This wasn’t or isn’t just a “German thing”. It’s a human thing that happens when there is Fear.
I will end with a saying that is outside the “Krematorium” which in reality was a death factory, not a Crematorium. When someone is cremated it is a sign of respect for their body and life and at Dachau and all the other camps, it was done to extinguish life.
Denket daran wie wir hier starben. Think of how we Died Here.
As soon as I was inside running along one of the many paths, I kept thinking I could get lost in here all day. Funnily enough, as I mentioned there were all those paths and yeah I did get a little lost but didn’t mind one bit. I couldn’t get over how lush, green and quiet it was inside the canopies of all the trees. At one point it started to rain (hence all that green) but it was one of those special rain showers where the sun is still shining making it feel only that more magical.
While the general idea for my name was there, I think there was something lost in translation. However, if you asked my brother to say my name up until about 5 years ago he’d never pronounce the ‘t’ and I was always “Kay-Lin”, so I guess “Kellen” isn’t that far off.
I stumbled upon what felt a little to me like a Flea Market and I immediately thought how much my cousin May would love it and for her sake did a once around. As luck would have it, my walk around led me to a Biergarten that was showing the World Cup Match and I decided to sit down with all the German fans and cheer on their team. 
At halftime (Is it even called halftime in soccer? My brother would be so disappointed that I don’t know this), it started to thunder and storm and for a few minutes I thought “ahh this will pass, I can hang”. But, as I listened to the thunder get louder, I realized two things 1) I’m not even German and 2) With the exception of the World Cup, I’ve probably watched like 5 matches in my life sooo I’m really not that invested and it’s totally acceptable to take cover.
I did have another realization as the Polizei and Feuerwehrmann started to show up with their sirens blaring. I think part of me was also somewhat expecting the likes of Jason Bourne to show up. I guess the European siren for me means massive car chases down narrow streets. In case you were wondering, no Jason Bourne and not even an Ethan Hunt in the lot. There’s always tomorrow I guess.
