“Bergen-Belsen “
You are correct, thanks for correcting. I flew for 12 hours today after being out of town since last Saturday. We made the visit yesterday. With the 6 hour time difference and a long day of flying, it seems forever ago. But you are correct, I had the name wrong.
I lived & worked in Hamburg 1979-84. Also visited Bergen Belsen by myself and once with my parents when they visited me.
My dad was with Army Air Force out of England and was flying in and out of Bergen Belsen carrying out the survivors. He remembers carry two emaciated men - one on each shoulder.
Yes, the place is eerily quiet...hard to describe until one experiences it.
My dad actually sobbed at the memory.
Seeing the piles - Hier legen funf tausand toten - Here lay 5,000 dead - there were many piles.
No bird, squirrels nothing....all of a sudden from above at treetop level, two jets came in for landing breaking the silence.
I visited the archives/museum and read the notes/records in German and it was like I was back in my office in Hamburg.
They even used the same file binders back then...the ones with the hole in the front.
It was an unforgettable experience especially as I was able to read the German archives.
Thanks for sharing your trip and thoughts. Sobering.