DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP – THE PLACE WHERE IT ALL BEGUN

“Dachau – the significance of this name will never be erased from German history. 

It stands for all concentration camps which the Nazis established in their territory.” 

–Eugen Kogon

Dachau Concentration Camp was one the first few camps which were established soon after Hitler started as Reich Chancellor and National Socialist dictatorship period begun. It was years before the WWII, in 1933. Dachau first served as a place for political prisoners, but later it also became the prison for many minorities such as Jehova’s Witnesses, Sinti, Roma, homosexuals and Jews as well as war prisoners. It was never used as a mass-extermination camp like Auschwitz, but it served as a model for the whole concentration camp network and it was the only concentration camp which was operational during the whole Nazi period. Dachau prisoners were also used as forced laborers: first they were employed in operations of camp and in its construction work, but later they were working also in German industry as well as in its armaments production.

Dachau Concentration Camp was the only concentration camp which was operational during the whole Nazi period from 1933 until 1945

Dachau Concentration Camp was used as a model for many other coming concentration camps established during the WWII