March 20, 1933 Dachau concentration officially opens. Dachau was established 5 weeks after Adolph Hitler became the German Chancellor. Dachau originally housed WW1 munitions factories, but with a new war beginning a need for a camp to house its first 5,000 prisoners took precedence. Its original purpose was to house those that apposed the new regime such as German communist and Social Democrats. Concentration camps are synonymous with horror stories and death. Though Dachau certainly was not the most famous of camps, it has had its fair share of horror stories. Never officially declared a death camp but designed more as a labor camp especially after World War II began. Thousands of prisoners were forced into labor to support the German war
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In 1915 the Bavarian government built theses factories because of the vast water supply. Nearly 8,000 workers were employed at these factories until 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Through the following years the workers remained in the area resulting in wide spread unemployment. “In 1927 Dachau had the highest employment rate in Germany”. (Merriman and Winter) To curb the mass unemployment in 1933 local officials officially requested that the former munitions buildings be redesignated as “militia or work conscription camps”. (Merriman and Winter) Himler chose Dachau to house political opponents while Nazis consolidated their power. The labor force grew from 2000 inmates to about 2600 in 1933, then abruptly dropped to 1300 causing Hitler to have thoughts of closing the facility. Himler convinced Hitler to leave it open and then to expand. In 1938 Dachau received a face lift expanding its walls and “Electrified fences were installed and seven watchtowers were placed around the camp. At the entrance of Dachau was placed a gate topped with the infamous phrase, "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Sets You Free”)”. (Jennifer Gross 2016) In late 1938 two new groups of prisoners were added, the asocials and criminals as well as adding roughly 12000 Jews bringing inmate totals slightly over 14000 inmates. Although Dachau was labeled a concentration camp it also served as a training camp for SS troops. The second Commandant Theodor Eicke made Dachau a model for other camps with doing so he was charged with training other SS Commandants, most notably Rudolf Hoss future Commandant of Auschwitz
In 1915 the Bavarian government built theses factories because of the vast water supply. Nearly 8,000 workers were employed at these factories until 1919 when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. Through the following years the workers remained in the area resulting in wide spread unemployment. “In 1927 Dachau had the highest employment rate in Germany”. (Merriman and Winter) To curb the mass unemployment in 1933 local officials officially requested that the former munitions buildings be redesignated as “militia or work conscription camps”. (Merriman and Winter) Himler chose Dachau to house political opponents while Nazis consolidated their power. The labor force grew from 2000 inmates to about 2600 in 1933, then abruptly dropped to 1300 causing Hitler to have thoughts of closing the facility. Himler convinced Hitler to leave it open and then to expand. In 1938 Dachau received a face lift expanding its walls and “Electrified fences were installed and seven watchtowers were placed around the camp. At the entrance of Dachau was placed a gate topped with the infamous phrase, "Arbeit Macht Frei" ("Work Sets You Free”)”. (Jennifer Gross 2016) In late 1938 two new groups of prisoners were added, the asocials and criminals as well as adding roughly 12000 Jews bringing inmate totals slightly over 14000 inmates. Although Dachau was labeled a concentration camp it also served as a training camp for SS troops. The second Commandant Theodor Eicke made Dachau a model for other camps with doing so he was charged with training other SS Commandants, most notably Rudolf Hoss future Commandant of Auschwitz