Walking on the exact same ground that the prisoners of the concentration camp walked on, standing on the exact same spot that the prisoners were shot at, and looking at the rooms and beds that the prisoners slept in was a mind boggling experience.
As I walked through the gate into the main camp, the aura of the open space of the main camp ground was overwhelming. Most of the buildings had been teared down and only few rebuilt which allowed a clear open view of the whole campground. We walked around each of the buildings, reading the description of each places and the significance of each of the buildings and spots.
When some of us went into the infirmary, we were able to go to the “basement” and see where the sick prisoners were cleansed before they were treated. The shower rooms, bath rooms, and toilette stalls looked original as if never destroyed from the day they were built. As I imagined prisoners actually using the facilities and how they would have been back when the camp was in use with prisoners, I came to realize how real the pain would have been and the suffering each prisoner went through.
Next place was the watch tower by the wall. As I walked along the wall, there were description about how the watch guards will fire at anyone who showed any signs of attempting to escape near the wall. Again, I carefully imagined what it would have been like as a prisoner, constantly living in fear and wanting freedom.
Another interesting thought that I reflected upon was Germany’s attitude towards the Holocaust and World War II. I was quite surprised at Germany’s openness in admitting their faults and the wrong that their country did in the past. By opening the camps up for everyone and making it a memorial showed their vulnerability of their past, not hiding any shamefully history but rather opening it up for the world too see.
As a Korean, I naturally compared this behavior to current behavior of the Japanese government who did not, and does not fully, openly, and sincerely apologize for the wrong that they have done in the past during the similar time era of imperialism and World War II with forced labor and comfort girls. In a way, it was nice to see Germany’s openness.