Munich, Germany

The trip to Munich had 2 parts - the fun part and the visit to the concentration camp. See the post below for the details on the concentration camp, but for now, lets focus on the fun. We toured the city and visited some more Christmas markets. Had tons of pretzels, brats, mustard, kraut, beer and potatoes. After being there 4 days, I would have been happy never to see a pretzel, brat, mustard, kraut, beer or potato again. I don't know how they eat that stuff everyday. Brats were offered for every meal - breakfast, lunch and dinner. Crazy. We had a good time in the city - visited 2 beer halls which are so large compared to Amsterdam restaurants - and a good training. A fun visit and with it complete, 2 days of work before leaving for the States for the holidays. A great way to end 2005!

Lisa and JJ - enjoying some gluwein at the Christmas markets! 

Matt and Lisa - hats, gloves and coats because it was freaking cold! 

Brooke and JJ. If you think that I am nuts - see the art in the background :-) 

Another church, this one in color and gold 

This was a stunning marble church that was all white marble. No color within the church at all. Pretty amazing. 

This was a huge nativity scene in the church that we visited. All of the people moved in the piece. 

This is at the Christmas market where I purchased something for someone. I can't really say anything more than that because Christmas isn't here yet! 

This is Matt shopping - even in Europe they have chairs out for the guys :-) 

Dachau Concentration Camp

To complete my WW2 tour of Europe, I wanted to visit a concentration camp. While in Munich, I realized that Dachau Concentration Camp was within a hour, so I decided to take a tour to visit the camp. While I knew that it wouldn't be a "fun" or "cool" part of my overseas adventure, I did think that it would be informative and would add to my understanding of the war and the events surrounding it. I can't do justice to the wealth of information that exists about Dachau or the war, but I will say that the historical facts and figures come to life when you are within the gates of the camp standing where the prisoners stood for counting on a daily basis, for the seven years that the camp was operational. The misery of being separated from your family, the fatigue from lack of food, sleep and sickness, the mental and physical torture from the guards, and the knowledge that you likely are going to die, must have been overwhelming. It is amazing that anyone survived to be liberated. The camp was designed for 2,000 people. Upon liberation, there were 30,000 people living in the camp. The conditions were horrible.

I found this quote as I was doing research for the visit. And it stuck with me through the tour that day. It was an informative tour and visit, but I definitely was grateful that I had the ability, freedom, and right to leave the camp at the end of the tour, rather than the uncertainty of wondering if I would ever be free again.

Pastor Martin Niemöller, who initially supported the Nazis, ended up here in 1938, whereupon he famously noted that :

When the Nazis arrested the Communists,I said nothing; after all, I was not a Communist.
When they locked up the Social Democrats,I said nothing; after all, I was not a Social Democrat. When they arrested the trade unionists,I said nothing; after all, I was not a trade unionist.When they arrested the Jews,I said nothing; after all, I was not a Jew.
When they arrested me, there was no longer anyone who could protest. -- translated by Bob Berkovitz

Entrance to Dachau Concentration Camp. 

Translated: Work will set you free. However, after the initial start of the camp, noone was set free. 

The main square and the barracks. A daily headcount was taken of the camp. Prisioners had to stand in the square in the "acceptable position" until every person was accounted for. Even in the snow and freezing temperatures. Given that so many people were dying daily from sickness, the counts would often take hours. Some survivors reported counts taking as long as 8 -12 hrs in the winter time. Walking around with my coat, gloves, hat, scarf, long underware and sweater on December 11 (which is not even the coldest month in Germany) for less than 2.5hrs, I had to wonder if I would have even made it. 

View outside from inside the barracks. How many people stood here and looked out like this I wonder? 

If you stepped on the grass, the guards were able to shoot you. Then there was a 6 ft trench filled with water and barbed wire, followed by a fence with barbed wire (electric) and a 10 ft. wall. Noone was getting out and noone was getting in. Privacy was equally as imporant to the Germans to ensure that noone knew what was going on in the camp. 

This is the main memorial at the camp. This art symbolizes the people that lived in the camp as evidenced by the grotesquely skinny bodies. Prisoners were not fed food daily – only upon occasion and if then, usually only a piece of bread. Their hands have been replaced with a five pronged piece and the bodies are connected by wire. This represents the desperation of the prisoners in the camp as it is a picture of the only way a prisoner had to commit suicide (by running into the electrical barbed wire fence in order to electrocute themselves). 

The memorial 

The cell block at the camp. Cells were for very high profile prisoners and members of the clergy. The conditions in the cells were much better than the barracks - heat, water and a toilet. Although "punishments" were also held here - one was to stand for 24 hrs for 3 days in a container smaller than a phone booth. 

 

A drawing hidden in one of the cells. 

The first crematorium. Right outside of the gates of the camp hidden behind a forest of trees. Workers from the camp would be taken to the crematorium to work and live for one month, then would be killed themselves so that they could not tell anyone else what was occurring 

The second crematorium These were more efficient as the bodies could be directly loaded into the chamber without having to stop the burning. There were 6 of these which ran continuously. 

Translated, it means showers. The room even had shower heads in the ceiling. But in reality, it was a gas chamber. 

Never again 

Thanks everyone

Thanks everyone for the well wishes - I am happy to report that after my visit to the doctor, I did feel better (although, I still think an antibiotic would have been appropriate!). I am now back in the US enjoying the holidays. More to come on that one after I have visited with everyone. Good to be home and having the opportunity to go to .... TARGET, WALMART, THE MALL! I have definitely - shopped until I dropped - in fact, I actually do not think that I can possible buy anything else. Hope I have enough room to bring everything back. Merry Christmas!

May I have an antibiotic - pretty please?

After a week and a half of a head cold and a severe sore throat, I was finally convinced to go to to the doctor. I had previously gone through the process of registering with the doctor so that I could go if I needed to (a requirement in the Netherlands) and I did choose him from the list of English speaking doctors, so I knew I would be able to communicate with him, however, I was still a little suspicious about the whole process. But, I just wanted some penicillin, so I figured I would give it a shot. So, he invites me into the room (yes, there is only one room in the office, not multiple rooms like in the US), looks at my throat, taps my head, asks me a few questions and says "You sick, but no antibiotics. Nothing to do". And that is it. I asked if he was certain?? I asked if he could give me some anyway because I had been sick so long, had a fever etc... but nothing. I was completely denied. When I returned to work, I asked some of the Dutch co-workers if this was typical. They said yes, you have to be really sick for the doctor to give you anything. They said that I probably didn't look sick enough because I went dressed in my work clothes and with my hair done etc (since I was coming to work). They also told me to expect a nice little 35 euro bill for the visit (which they think is just wrong). But now I know the process, next time, I am going to really act it up :-)

Munster Germany Christmas Market - A surprise

Derek invited me to spend the day with him on Saturday to do "something". I was not told what or where, only that it would take the day and would to dress warm. In Holland, that could mean anything or anywhere. But the day arrived (and after Derek decided to stop teasing me that we were going to the office to tieout footnotes) and we were off - to Germany to go to the famous Christmas markets. After a 3 hr drive to Munster, Germany (included 1 "turnaround", but because the parking lots were full - not the navigator's fault) we had a great day walking around the stalls and booths at the market. Enjoyed a brat with mustard served w/ a roll, did some shopping, and the day was complete. I had a great time and can't wait for the next adventure!!! Next weekend in Munich and the following weekend - back to the States for Christmas!!!

Munster Christmas Market - it was cool. I picked up some gifts here but I can't say what.... 

The Christmas market - one of 5 there with several booths 

Barcelona: Here we come

Well, instead of the Macy's day parade, football, and mom's turkey and pumpkin pie - it was sushi and sun in Barcelona, Spain. A definite change, but since Thanksgiving is not a recognized holiday in Europe (although the idea of Thanksgiving and how the Americans overpowered the Indians in the United States is a favorite discussion topic of the Dutch) - the Americans in the office decided to take a vacation and travel to Barcelona, Spain. I wasn't sure what to expect about Spain, it was another place that was not on my list, as it seemed to be more metropolitan than I would like and a very party oriented place. But Barcelona turned out to be a nice mix of interesting buildings, a rebuilt waterfront (for the 1992 Olympics), and great fresh seafood. The group arrived on Friday, had dinner in a cable tower over looking the city, enjoyed our amazing hotel, took a tour with a guide on Saturday and saw the sites including the very amazing work of Gaudi, enjoyed an afternoon at the spa (it was amazing) and a great Saturday night dinner at a seafood restaurant where we ate until we could eat no more, and rested and relaxed on Sunday (while Derek played golf). The weather was in the 50's (a little chilly for this time of year), but warmer than Amsterdam which had snow over the weekend, and SUN - which is most important as winter has begun in Amsterdam and the sun has disappeared behind gray clouds. It was a quick trip (don't even ask me about the 2 guys on the plane that sat next to me that talked the entire 2 hr trip back to Amsterdam - not taking a break the entire flight!!), but alot of fun. Derek was able to return from New York to join the trip, so it was great to see and hang out with him as well. So, now back to work??

Brooke and Derek do Barcelona.