I was eager to see the concentration camp, to see and stand at the site where so much history we have studied took place. It was an emotional experience.
I liked that it was a more personal experience because we would walk by ourselves and listen to the audio phone. It was very solemn. When walking through the concentration camp, I read stories about how siblings would watch each other be beaten, tortured, and ultimately killed. I couldn’t hold my tears back. To stand in the place where that took place, my heart ached. The place was designed for torture. Every inch of the concentration camp was well thought out to ultimately kill. I think I have a better understanding of the history of World War II after walking through where so much suffering from it took place. I also enjoyed the Holocaust museum and memorial. I am glad Germany makes these places, both the museum and the concentration camp, accessible to the public. People should never forget what happened. It is good to both never forget and to honor the lives of those who suffered and those who died in this tragedy. The museum made it much more personal because it was all personal stories. I enjoyed going to the room with stories of families. It described where families were broken up and what happened to each family member. The stats of how many people died become more real because they aren’t just numbers, but actual people.