in detail
On March 22, 1933, just two months after the National Socialists took power and Hitler was appointed Reichs Chancellor, approximately 150 Communist and Social Democrat officials were arrested, and the first concentration camp of Nazi Germany was erected at the site of a closed down ammunitions factory in northeast Dachau. In addition to political opponents, who were the initially targeted group, Jews, Gypsies, oppositional members of the clergy, homosexuals and other individuals who were not regarded by the National Socialist regime as acceptable were interned at Dachau. Thousands of prisoners who were selected for extermination were brought to other camps or to Hartheim near Linz where they were murdered.
Between 1941 and 1945, thousands of Soviet prisoners of war were shot in the courtyard of the camp crematorium or at the SS rifle range in Hebertshausen near Dachau.
By the time the 30,000 surviving prisoners were liberated by American troops on April 29, 1945, over 200,000 prisoners had been registered at Dachau. At least 40,000 had died.
After the majority of former prisoners had returned, the camp was used to intern members of the SS and officials of the NSDAP. In the fall of 1948, after the Bavarian state parliament`s plan to use the area as a workcamp for "asocial elements" failed, the American army provided a barrack to house refugees.
At the first international meeting on the 10th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, former Dachau prisoners resolved to re-establish the International Prisoner Committee. The prisoners initiated the evacuation of the “Dachau-East Residential Settlement“ for refugees and the establishment of a memorial site. The current memorial site and museum opened on May 9, 1965. Two prisoner barracks were reconstructed. The location of the other 32 barracks are marked by stones on the ground. Original historical buildings such as the entrance building, camp prison and the two crematoria buildings with the gas chamber have been preserved and are in part accessible. Information panels and exhibition segments explain the history of the site. A new documentary exhibition created in 2003 is displayed in the former maintenance building. A reference library and archive are also open to visitors.
The “Sponsor Association for an International Youth Exchange Center“ was founded in 1984 with the aim of establishing a exchange center in Dachau like the one in Auschwitz.
The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial offers group tours that are booked in advance. Information on public tours and the documentary film show times can be found at www.kz-gedenkstaette-dachau.de.
1933-1945
Over 200,000 prisoners are interned at Dachau and the 169 satellite camps.
March 22, 1933
The first prisoners are brought to the vacated ammunitions factory and the first SS concentration camp is established.
1937-1938
Completion of the camp.
November 9-10, 1938
After the November pogrom ("Kristallnacht" or "Night of Broken Glass"), 10,911 Jews are brought to Dachau to be intimidated and pressured into emigrating.
February 1941
Medical experiments on prisoners begin.
April 29, 1945
American military units liberate the surviving prisoners of the Dachau Concentration Camp.
1964-1965
The camp grounds are remodeled into a memorial museum.
