MERKEN WEIMAR

This day was sad.  We traveled by train to Weimar, to see and "remember" what happened to victims in the concentration camps during WWII.  Buchenwald was deeply moving and heartbreaking.  It was distressing to know that at times in our history, people can treat other humans so deplorably.  We spent over 3 hours hearing and seeing such horrible things. 

The railroad that brought thousands of Jews to this horror.

The building that housed the prisoner's personal belongings.

The crematorium was the hardest thing for me to see.  But it was also upsetting to learn about the medical experimentation on the prisoners at Buchenwald.  Hundreds of deaths occurred because they would give the victims a contagious disease (typhus, typhoid, cholera, diphtheria, etc.) and then test vaccines on them.  The entire experience was oppressive and somber. 

The art work was also depressing but gripping.

Shoes representing the victims

This was Katia's "favorite" statue.

It is very emotional and sad.

I found it really sad that there was a "zoo" for the young German children to experience happy, normal life directly across from the concentration camp.  The bears were treated better than the inmates.

The "zoo" is on the right behind the brick wall.

The crematorium in the building on the left with the large smoke stack.

The "zoo"

After leaving Weimar, we went to Erfurt.  It was built during the medievil time period.  It's a small, charming German town.  We ate lunch at 4:00 PM so that we could watch the German soccer game.  Unfortunately they lost.

Happier in Erfurt!

I really enjoyed the different churches!

I loved the houses on the river...

There was also a really cool bridge with housing in front of us...