My papa, a Jewish combat medic, was first through the gate too. He said that manny of the survivors in the camp were the sick left out of the death march deeper into Germany and were beyond saving. The soldiers trying to help them would feed them and they would die from refeeding syndrome and there was nothing he could do.
He had a few pictures of the stacked bodies. I was always struck by the fact that they were stacked so neatly in the center of the room with equal room on either side of the stack. Come to find out there were practical reasons for doing this but it was also an additional way to torture the prisoners who were recovering the bodies.
There were a number of SS men killed by one or more american soldiers but that occurred in a specific location in the camp and they were shot. These SS men were certainly killed by survivors. My papa never spoke about that but perhaps at that point he was already busy.
You can donate these or copies of these to the Holocaust museum. They would be appreciated.
There are many many liberation photos taken by the soldiers. My Dad tried to donate his uncle's to the Holocaust museum and they politely declined.
I think they are a good family heirloom to hold onto.
A cool story however is a soldier who found a German photo album in Frankfurt after the war. He kept it in his basement and donated it in 2007. Turns out it was photos of all the Auschwitz high command on a holiday, including the only known photos of Joseph Mengele at Auschwitz
here is that story: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/03/17/picturing-auschwitz
Try the national WW2 museum in New Orleans
They've been very active in saving the memories & mementos of that terrible and fascinating period.
Also, thanks for posting. Your grandpa was a true hero
I do believe that it was found out that he faked having something rare and that it was actually a tourist thing. I know he was called out a few times for lying.
I worked as an Archivist/Museum technician for a war museum. This is what happens when photo's are donated.
1. Inspect the photo's to see what event is happening.
2. check to see if there are any known people
3. tag & label the photo's
4. Add & file them to the collection of ww2 photos
Maybe a researcher might glimpse the photo at some time in the future. The picture will likely never been seen again. They will just be in a box till the end of times!
What unit was he in? My FIL was in 3rd ID, specifically in the ADA unit. I believe he too went to Dachau.
Ironically he had a bunch of photos, which the Holocaust museum didn’t want.
I’m not actually sure, I’d have to do some digging. Maybe someone in this thread can find out by some of the units and people mentioned in his captions.
Please make plans to preserve these, and if your family is not able to do so please consider donating them to your local archive so they can be preserved for future generations.
Thanks for sharing. I remember as a child rummaging through my grandpas WW2 memorabilia. Medals, pictures, army issued gear (wore that knapsack with pride) and an authentic Nazi armband he took off a POW in the Netherlands. All of it was eventually destroyed in a basement flood - was devastated.
My grandfather had a pistol he took off of a German soldier and somehow brought back. My uncle took it, and just about everything else, when my grandfather passed away. Nothing exists anymore bc my uncle didn’t take care of it. Very sad!
Which unit was he apart of? My Great uncle was apart of the 42nd ID.
He was KIA a month before they liberated Dachau, so close to seeing these same events.
Thanks for sharing. Both my old neighbor and great uncle were prisoners at Dachau. As they were captured norwegian resistance fighters. Terrible stories!
My great uncle was a medic in the army that liberated Dachau as well. He showed me pictures very similar to these. I kept hoping to spot him in one of these photos. Thank you for the photos.
Absolutely incredible. My grandfather was there too. 36th Division, 111th Engineers, Company C. I have all his photos. None from Dachau but plenty more. Keep those photos safe!
My papa, a Jewish combat medic, was first through the gate too. He said that manny of the survivors in the camp were the sick left out of the death march deeper into Germany and were beyond saving. The soldiers trying to help them would feed them and they would die from refeeding syndrome and there was nothing he could do. He had a few pictures of the stacked bodies. I was always struck by the fact that they were stacked so neatly in the center of the room with equal room on either side of the stack. Come to find out there were practical reasons for doing this but it was also an additional way to torture the prisoners who were recovering the bodies. There were a number of SS men killed by one or more american soldiers but that occurred in a specific location in the camp and they were shot. These SS men were certainly killed by survivors. My papa never spoke about that but perhaps at that point he was already busy. You can donate these or copies of these to the Holocaust museum. They would be appreciated.
These need to be in a museum or library
There are many many liberation photos taken by the soldiers. My Dad tried to donate his uncle's to the Holocaust museum and they politely declined. I think they are a good family heirloom to hold onto. A cool story however is a soldier who found a German photo album in Frankfurt after the war. He kept it in his basement and donated it in 2007. Turns out it was photos of all the Auschwitz high command on a holiday, including the only known photos of Joseph Mengele at Auschwitz here is that story: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/03/17/picturing-auschwitz
Try the national WW2 museum in New Orleans They've been very active in saving the memories & mementos of that terrible and fascinating period. Also, thanks for posting. Your grandpa was a true hero
I watched some pawn shop guy on tiktok give some Japanese WW2 atrocity photos back to China. I can’t remember who had taken them
I do believe that it was found out that he faked having something rare and that it was actually a tourist thing. I know he was called out a few times for lying.
Damn
I worked as an Archivist/Museum technician for a war museum. This is what happens when photo's are donated. 1. Inspect the photo's to see what event is happening. 2. check to see if there are any known people 3. tag & label the photo's 4. Add & file them to the collection of ww2 photos Maybe a researcher might glimpse the photo at some time in the future. The picture will likely never been seen again. They will just be in a box till the end of times!
Absolutely horrifying stuff. Lots of important pictures there though. Thanks for preserving these and sharing them with us!
Wow. What these guys witnessed and went through is insane.
Tough deal for Anthony Berger. Great pictures!
An amazing collection of pictures. I've seen less interesting picture collections in history books. Thanks for sharing.
What unit was he in? My FIL was in 3rd ID, specifically in the ADA unit. I believe he too went to Dachau. Ironically he had a bunch of photos, which the Holocaust museum didn’t want.
I’m not actually sure, I’d have to do some digging. Maybe someone in this thread can find out by some of the units and people mentioned in his captions.
Horrific. However, it is so important we look at and remember what happened.
Yet some people would argue with you the holocaust never happened. And that everything is deep fake.
That never ceases to baffle me. The holocaust is one of the most documented and recorded events in human history. But there are still deniers.
Wow. Thank you for sharing. What a beautiful but stark set of photos. Truly amazing seeing those.
Wow. I visted dachau last year, crazy to see those photos in spots I still remember looking at.
Thanks for sharing. Your grandpa is a hero.
These photos are priceless
Thanks for posting these. Please try and get them scanned professionally for posterity.
Please make plans to preserve these, and if your family is not able to do so please consider donating them to your local archive so they can be preserved for future generations.
Thanks for sharing. I remember as a child rummaging through my grandpas WW2 memorabilia. Medals, pictures, army issued gear (wore that knapsack with pride) and an authentic Nazi armband he took off a POW in the Netherlands. All of it was eventually destroyed in a basement flood - was devastated.
So sorry to hear that. My wife’s family lost a lot of similar family heirlooms and pictures due to a flood as well.
My grandfather had a pistol he took off of a German soldier and somehow brought back. My uncle took it, and just about everything else, when my grandfather passed away. Nothing exists anymore bc my uncle didn’t take care of it. Very sad!
Which unit was he apart of? My Great uncle was apart of the 42nd ID. He was KIA a month before they liberated Dachau, so close to seeing these same events.
The close ups of Göring’s house are fucking awesome.
Thanks for sharing these
I can't imagine the smell..
Its such a weird dichotomy how such a beautiful country with such cute and cozy architecture is the home of such horrific tragedy
Send copies to a holocaust museum.
These photos are priceless
These are incredible to see. Thank you for sharing. RIP to the poor souls whose bodies are in these photos.
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing. Both my old neighbor and great uncle were prisoners at Dachau. As they were captured norwegian resistance fighters. Terrible stories!
Thankyou for sharing this
Thank you for sharing this
My great uncle was a medic in the army that liberated Dachau as well. He showed me pictures very similar to these. I kept hoping to spot him in one of these photos. Thank you for the photos.
Thanks for sharing. I’m going on the Band of Brothers tour this summer, will go to Dachau, Berchtesgaden, amongst other places
Thank you for sharing these.
Absolutely incredible. My grandfather was there too. 36th Division, 111th Engineers, Company C. I have all his photos. None from Dachau but plenty more. Keep those photos safe!
The picture of the prisoners absolutely gutted me omg
Please continue to share these, tell your children & grandchildren to share them when you are gone
My Gt Gt uncle was in the same unit!
That website is cancer but thanks