BERLIN (AP) — A wrought-iron gate bearing the Nazis’ cynical slogan “Arbeit macht frei,” or “Work sets you free,” has been stolen from the former Dachau concentration camp, police said Sunday.
Security officials noticed early Sunday morning that the gate measuring 190 by 95 centimeters (75 by 37 inches) — set into a larger iron gate — was missing, police said in a statement. Whoever stole it during the night would have had to climb over another gate to reach it, they added.
Police said they found nothing in the immediate vicinity of the camp and appealed for anyone who noticed any suspicious people or vehicles to come forward.
Dachau, near Munich, was the first concentration camp set up by the Nazis in 1933. More than 200,000 people from across Europe were held there and over 40,000 prisoners died before it was liberated by U.S. forces on April 29, 1945. The camp is now a memorial.
Memorial director Gabriele Hammermann condemned the theft of the gate, which she described as “the central symbol for the prisoners’ ordeal,” news agency dpa reported.
She said a private security service supervises the site but officials had decided against surveillance of the former camp with video cameras because they didn’t want to turn it into a “maximum-security unit.” That decision may now have to be reviewed, she added.
In December 2009, the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” sign that spanned the main gate of the Auschwitz death camp, built by the Nazis in occupied Poland, was stolen. Police found it three days later cut into pieces in a forest on the other side of Poland.
A Swedish man who had a neo-Nazi past was found guilty of instigating that theft and jailed in his homeland. Five Poles also were convicted of involvement and imprisoned.
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Visited the camp in 2011. A horrific place, within proximity to homes and a village. Strange that some nutjob stole the gate. But this place was a perfect reminder that we must not ever forget that atrocities can take place anywhere… first they came for the labor unions and political dissidents.
Perhaps someone is gathering props for a Tea Party theme park.
I don’t doubt that if the Germans find this guy his punishment will be more than for a simple theft - and rightly so. I think the societal importance of places like the memorial at Dachau can’t be overstated.
If you’re thinking of visiting Germany, Dachau (the town) is a cute, quaint place to stay and it’s a quick train ride to Munich. And visiting the camp is an education.
Having visited in 2011 I have no reason to expect the authorities would work very hard to recover the stolen sign or to actively protect this site. I found th e locals quite unwelcoming to this site. Poor signage and no help to even find it, then we English speakers could just do self- guided tours and read the small print sub -titles. No help, no docents, general lackadaisical and frankly irreverent approach to hosting this monument to a shameful past. Not at all surprised that security is sloppy. The impression I had was that locals would prefer razing it to build more condos.
Well, that would certainly explain the locals’ feelings about it. I’m sure they’d rather have it vanish completely.