In a poignant memorial event held in Dachau, Germany, survivors, liberators, and their families honored the 80th anniversary of the camp's liberation by Allied forces. Among them was 100-year-old Locker Gahs, a U.S. Army soldier who entered the camp in 1945 with the 42nd Infantry Division. He described the moment the gates were opened as a stark revelation of the atrocities for which they had fought.
"The anguish we saw upon entering was shocking; it cast a new light on our mission," Gahs said, recalling the sickly prisoners and horrific sights of deceased individuals found within.
Another survivor, Jean Lafaurie, 101, shared harrowing memories of the brutal treatment prisoners suffered, stressing the importance of remembrance, especially as the last voices of the era fade away.
Echoing concerns about a resurgence of extremist ideologies in Germany, these witnesses implored future generations to acknowledge the past to prevent history from repeating itself.
This anniversary not only commemorates the liberation but serves as a reminder for ongoing vigilance against hatred and intolerance.
"The anguish we saw upon entering was shocking; it cast a new light on our mission," Gahs said, recalling the sickly prisoners and horrific sights of deceased individuals found within.
Another survivor, Jean Lafaurie, 101, shared harrowing memories of the brutal treatment prisoners suffered, stressing the importance of remembrance, especially as the last voices of the era fade away.
Echoing concerns about a resurgence of extremist ideologies in Germany, these witnesses implored future generations to acknowledge the past to prevent history from repeating itself.
This anniversary not only commemorates the liberation but serves as a reminder for ongoing vigilance against hatred and intolerance.
