Dachau, Germany: Finding Our Worldly Humanity Through Travel
*WARNING: There are images and descriptions that are not suitable for children, anyone sensitive to intentional human extinction and are not to be replicated in any way, shape or form.
Since 1995, Compass has guided me across 30+ borders, usually seeking the "sweet spots" of culture and the beauty of the detour. Travel isn't always about the blooming Bougainvillea of Dubrovnik or the golden sands of Cabo. Most of the time it’s where Chaos holds a uniquely disturbing interest. This is always the most vital journey we take (usually testing our mortality). Sometimes, though, that means leading us into the deepest, darkest corners of hellish human depravity. Only to arise with an understanding more profound and spiritually connected, that humans are “walking” Gods’ and Goddess’ of this world. Did you know that we are the only species that intentionally tries to wipe out its own species, not a competitor, but the whole damn species. For us to understand our Worldly Humanity, we must be willing to stand in places where it has been tried to be systematically dismantled. For me, that place was Dachau Concentration Camp.
DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP
GERMANY Sept. 2024
Words in the gate are: ARBETT MACHT FREI (translates from German into "Work Sets You Free"). View walking through the gate. Photo taken by CompassChaos13
Logistics of the Unthinkable
Dachau was the blueprint. Opened in 1933, it was the very model for every camp that followed; Auschwitz-Berwald, Birkenau & Treblinka. When you walk through the infamous gate, bearing the words Arbeit Macht Frei (Translation: “Work Sets You Free”). Your instincts scream “LIER….LIIIIEEERRRR”. You learned the stories, but have yet to walk the walk. Seeing the efficiency of the “camp” is what strikes you first. It was a masterpiece of logistical engineering designed for a singular, horrific purpose. This was no “camp”, this was a human destruction facility blueprint model built for trial runs.
As a travel professional, I often speak of Compass’ "high-efficiency engineering," but at Dachau, you see the hellish side of that coin; realizing that the same human mind capable of building the cathedrals of Europe is just as capable of designing a "destruction facility" for human life.
First prisoners to arrive were “polictical”. Those that spoke-out, stood-up to or tried to run against the Nazi Party came to “work”. At first most of them did, they were worked to death, so the slogan Arbeit Macht Frei was “a version of truth” … death can be seen as being “Set Free” when you are placed in such conditions, Chaos couldn’t even dream up. It was just not cheap disposable labor that this camp was the blueprint for but also:
Illusions of “showers” as a systematic death machine
Testing of the gases released into the those chambers
Easy disposal of the non-workable and already dead.
Experiments on humans
Mass Human Extermination
A Ghost in the Machinery
While standing near the rail tracks, the semi-shiny rails takes on a different form—not one of an adventure, but a haunting, visionary encounter.
I stood on the very platform where the trains once arrived with humans in full force. Taking in the historical significance of the footprints that my shoes now fill. At that moment, September 4, 2024 was no more. The silence of the memorial was replaced by yelling and pleading. I saw the presence of the "Inner Workings"—the terrifyingly calm gaze of men like Dr. Sigmund Rascher.
I could see him standing there, his eyes scanning the new arrivals not as people, but as "testing material." To Rascher, these human bodies were just mice in a high-altitude or hypothermia experiment. Those that he deemed “healthy” were now experimental hosts, “others” were nothing. He enjoyed the depravity of the scene that unfolded on the platform before us (Listen to the full story here: CompassChaos13). This man thrived on power, cruelty and dominance. The emotional disturbance of this visualization is deeply profound: the "Doctor" was using a perverted form of Chaos while incorporating Compass’ logistics to the means being extermination of humans.
Spiritual Deepening
Visiting this, now memorial, was the most spiritually deepening experience of my 46 years on this planet, in 30 years traveling & 20+ in the industry. It was emotionally & mentally disturbing, yes, but it was also a very required "re-centering."
We travel to find ourselves, but we also travel to ensure we never forget what happens when Compass (logic/efficiency) is combined with a perverted form of Chaos and completely omits humanity. To see the barracks and the crematorium is to have your mindset permanently altered from the bucket list to "Life Adventure Goals". You no longer just want to see the world; you want to teach, learn, assist and protect the humanity within it.
Don't See the Map. Feel the Ground.
Dachau is not a "Bucket List" item. It is a pilgrimage for heart and spirit. Dachau is not a place that can just be seen; it requires an experience, heard and felt in the depths of your existence. Even the air holds the heaviness of the depravity that was the blueprint for human destruction. Forcing you to not only question, but answer, why you travel this one-of-a-kind world. Is it just for selfies at the Arch, or is it to witness the full spectrum of what it means to be human? For us, it is to become a life full of various human experiences.
When we embrace the detour to destinations of great human significance (good, bad, ugly & unimaginable), we aren't just tourists; we become the stewards of humanity. The ones who ensure that the internal Compass of our future generations is secure in its humanity and the shenanigans of Chaos never point toward hellish human extermination again.
How to Dark Tour Respectfully and Humbly
(Don’t Be THAT Person)
Over the last 30 years, I have seen the travel industry monetize everything from ancient ruins to modern tragedies. There is a very fine line between witnessing history and consuming it. When your Compass and Chaos lead you to places of profound sorrow like Dachau your approach must shift from "explorer" to a humble "pilgrim" paying homage.
This is CompassChaos13’s tried and tested professional SOP (standard operating procedure) for navigating these heavy landscapes with the respect they demand:
Kill the "Influencer" Impulse: This is the #1 critical rule of all dark tourism, not just 2026 travel. At sites of genocide or mass suffering, your camera should stay in your bag. If you take a photo, ensure it is of the memorial or the landscape—rarely a selfie. Presence is for reflection, not for "content." Standing where the "inner workings" of the Holocaust took place requires your full, un-distracted attention. *The only time a selfie may be acceptable is if you are capturing your raw emotions; other than that, be respectful.
Acknowledge the Weight: Before you step through the gate, take a moment to feel. Tread slowly. Think clearly. Speak in whispers. There should be no laughing or jokes of any kind (yeah, I actually have to say this!!). That spiritual deepening you seek happens during the time and spaces between the facts on the plaques.
"Humanity First" Logistics: Use your Compass arrive early/late or during the off-season to avoid the "engulfing tour group" atmosphere. Research the history of figures like *Dr. Rascher before you arrive, so when you stand on that platform, you aren't just looking at tracks; you are understanding the gravity of the footprints that you are standing in. Those innocent humans that became "human test subjects" who stood there before you. *Research Warning - this is a gruesome figure and also a point in the history of WWII, not for the faint of heart.
Steward Support: Respectful travel means ensuring these sites remain open for future generations. It is imperative that future generations learn all aspects of history.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, ~ George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905.
Just as humans are the stewards of this planet there are those that go further to ensure legacies endure. So, pay the suggested donation or buy your tickets directly from the site, hire a local certified historian rather than a general tour guide and buy your books from the site/memorial’s foundation.
To "Dark Tour" humbly is to accept that you will be emotionally disturbed. This is not something that needs "fixing". Quite the contrary, that feeling is necessary for your evolution and required for adaptation of your worldly humanity. Do Not distract yourself from it. This is the part you are here for, to feel human history. The goal isn't to leave happy; it’s to leave with a deeper connection to our worldly humanity.
————————————————————————————
May Your Compass Plan, Your Chaos Rule and The Connections Happen
📅Every Sunday we’re bearing it all—shame, humor, and the things that should not be told, from over 20 years in the travel industry and 30 countries visited.
Ready for the unfiltered truth about travel and life?
Follow and Listen on Spotify | Amazon Music Or on your favorite podcast platform
This is not going to be your “polished travel” podcast…..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Live Life Thinking You Will Cease Tomorrow, Plan Your Life Thinking You’re Immortal. The Choices You Have in Front of You TODAY Are the Ones That Matter NOW” ~ Heather Original Quote
🌏💋❤️ Stay Feral, Never Fragile.
Sign up for our free newsletter 💌 COMING SOON ~ for exclusive access to our best "Trust the Mess" content, travel tips, and adventure stories.
Encourage the Global Connection 👏 to help us keep sharing these unique perspectives. Your support keeps us on the road and delivering valuable, independent content.