Quotes courtesy of Dachau Liberators
We had been pushing towards Munich when Dachau was liberated. General Collins sent word that any man who wanted to see why we were fighting should go over. The next morning, we were loaded into trucks for the trip. It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever seen. Bodies were stacked in rail cars. We were warned not to feed any survivors, doctors would do that.
At the dedication of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, a man grabbed my arm when he saw my Rainbow tie. He said, I want to thank you. He was a Dachau survivor.
Gerald O. Eaton, liberator
In the 75 years since the liberation of KZ Dachau, my incomprehension of how this horror could have happened has not eroded. For me, there were no answers on April 29, 1945, nor 75 years later.
How could there have been such arrogance of power to inflict so much suffering and death on so many victims and cut short so much potential for good?
The 75th anniversary of the liberation serves as a reminder of what happened and could happen again unless emergent forces of depravity and evil are extinguished.
Dee R. Eberhart, liberator
The circumstances surrounding the cancellation of the celebration of the 75th liberation of Dachau are disappointing and sad. We were looking forward with great anticipation to meeting all of you who worked so diligently on this project. In addition, we would have enjoyed meeting other liberators and survivors of that horrific time in history, and sharing this experience with grandchildren.
To see Dachau in a time of peace is invaluable. We have been there once before and it was a moving experience – this time with this group of people would be extraordinary. Hopefully, it will be rescheduled.
Don Greenbaum, liberator
Early the morning of April 29, 1945, 2 months after our 21st birthday, my twin brother, Howard, & I, after seeing a trainload of boxcars, containing many dead bodies, entered the nearby Dachau Concentration Camp. We witnessed some unforgettable sights while not understanding what caused same.
I attended the 70th Anniversary of the Liberation of the prisoner camp & was looking forward to attending the 75th Anniversary. My main reasons for attending was to honor the memory of those who perished, and to listen to the experiences of survivors. I hope that a 76th Anniversary event is held.
Hilbert Margol, liberator
