Concentration camps are a dark and tragic part of human history. They were primarily established during World War II, and their purpose was to imprison and persecute individuals based on their race, ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs. In this article, we will delve into the history of concentration camps, their significance, and provide information on visiting memorial sites near you.
The Historical Background
Concentration camps being said to have been created by authoritarian regimes and ideologies that wanted to dominate some sections of communities. Concentration camps are well known with the ones that was in operation by the Nazi Germany during the holocaust. Numerous victims perished from starvation, disease, exhaustion, shootings or extermination from these camps because of planned and systematic killing, forced work as well as starvation and disease.
The Role of Concentration Camps
The main objectives behind establishing concentration camps were:
Extermination: There were specialized camps for the purpose of killing particular categories of people through the use of gas chambers and crematoriums to the effect that they could handle many at a time.
Forced Labor: Forced labor in particular was employed on prisoners in especial camps, using prisoners’ work in factories or even in construction sites regardless of their health conditions.
Imprisonment: Concentration camps were tools of oppression, through detention of, people seen as a threat to the reigning government.
Tours of Concentration Camp Memorials
The survivors of the concentration camps during the holocaust period was turned into museums to honour those who died. Going to these memorials is one way of honoring the victims, educating ourselves on some historical events and condemning the incidences in the future.
Research Before You Go
Before I visited the concentration camp memorial, there is much that one needs to find out and establish. Find information on the history of the camp, the genocide that occurred at the camp and whether or not there is any rule or regulations that one is likely to encounter while visiting the camp.
Respect and Sensitivity
It is mandatory to display certain level of polite behavior when at a concentration camp memorial. These are sites of huge tragedy and the proper way of conduct should be observed. Some have advised to keep lame, to keep mum at all times, and not to act in any manner that is insolent.
Education from those educators and survivors
Some of the historic sites contain various packages such as packaged guided tours or packaged educational sessions conducted by independent historians, teachers, and even survivors of the concentration camps. It is stressed that attending such programs can help a reader acquire a somewhat deeper understanding of the history of the camp and fates of those who were incarcerated there.
Reflect and Remember
When you get an opportunity to visit a concentration camp memorial it can be quite demanding physically but gives someone a chance to think on his own. Spend a few minutes to read about some of the stories, and think about how devastating the event was and why the fight for tolerance and peace to be valuable in today’s world.
Conclusion
It is rather important to remember what cruel thing people can do to each other and concentrating camps are something like proofs of that; however, visiting places where such camps were located can help to keep people aware of the tragedy that happened and conceive more tolerant attitude towards each other. Prior understanding of the history behind the event, courtesy while visiting the place and being able to use it as a time of remembrance of the lives lost. In this manner, it is possible to try to shape the better society with no similar action in the future.
