Dachau Memorial Site Tour from Munich

Dachau concentration camp: the first camp

Dachau opened in March 1933, only weeks after Hitler came to power, on the site of a disused munitions factory about 20 kilometres north-west of Munich. It became the model for the whole camp system and the training ground for SS guards who later served elsewhere. More than 200,000 people from over 30 countries were held here and in its subcamps.

At least 41,500 prisoners died before American troops liberated the camp on 29 April 1945. Since 1965 the site has been a memorial and place of learning. A Dachau memorial tour with a guide helps you place what you see in the context of twelve years of history, from political prisoners in 1933 to the death marches of 1945.

The Jourhaus, roll-call square and barracks

You enter through the Jourhaus, the gatehouse whose iron gate carried the notorious slogan that prisoners saw on arrival. Beyond it opens the huge roll-call square, where prisoners were counted each morning and evening in all weathers, sometimes for many hours.

Of the 34 barracks that once lined the camp road, two have been reconstructed to show how crowded conditions became, while the foundations of the others remain. Next to the square stands the camp prison, known as the bunker, with its narrow cells. Allow two to three hours to visit Dachau properly; our guide makes sure you see the essential places.

The crematorium area and the memorials

Beyond the camp's perimeter lies the crematorium area, with the old and new crematoria and Barrack X, which contained a gas chamber. It is a place of deep silence, and our guide leaves time for personal reflection. Around the grounds stand memorials of several faiths, including a Catholic chapel, a Protestant church of reconciliation, a Jewish memorial and a Russian Orthodox chapel.

The International Memorial of 1968 on the roll-call square, a bronze sculpture of bodies caught in barbed wire, carries the words never again in several languages. Many people ask whether a day trip to Dachau is suitable on holiday; it is a sombre visit, but one that visitors describe as unforgettable.

The Dachau museum and how to get there

The main exhibition is housed in the former maintenance building, where prisoners once entered the camp and were registered. Photographs, documents and personal testimonies trace the path from arrest to liberation. A short documentary film is shown several times a day in English.

If you are wondering how to get to Dachau from Munich, the S2 suburban train runs to Dachau station, followed by a short bus ride to the memorial. Dachau opening hours are generally from morning to late afternoon every day, and entry to the grounds is open to all. Travelling with our guide means the connections, tickets and timing are all taken care of.