[7thson]

"Arbeit macht frei" is a German phrase meaning "work brings freedom" or "work shall set you free/will free you" or "work liberates" and, literally in English, "work makes (one) free". The slogan is known in the English speaking world for being placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps.

I visited Dachau last year. A very dour place but not as horrifying as you might think. I believe it was because they sterilized it as much as possible. I did see the inscription and took a picture of it.

One thing that has bothered me over the years is the sterilization of the Holocaust. They refer to Dachau, Austwicz, and the others as "concentration camps." I remember when I first started reading about it back in the 70's, they were called "death camps."

[schu]

Interesting take on Dachau. When I visited in there 2003 I left seething, I was so angry and disgusted. I cannot even read about the Holocaust anymore, the images, the stories, the cruelty, it is just too much.

Yes, there have been attempts to sanitize the Holocaust, but one can easily find out what went on. The terms Concentration Camp and Extermination Camp are pretty clear. I believe Dachau was a Concentration Camp, focused on political prisoners, dissidents and “enemies” of the Fuhrer (basically anyone they did not like or who did not toe the line). I do not recall any ovens in Dachau, although there was plenty of carnage.

schu