Friday May 17 2013, the UMass Chamber choir had an unscheduled stop on our tour. Before heading to our first concert destination, we visited the Nazi Dachau concentration camp. Opened at the beginning of World War II, Dachau was the first Nazi concentration camp to imprison thousands of innocent souls during the the Nazi government years. At the entrance to the camp, the choir passed through this gate, as did every prisoner interned here. The gate reads “Arbeit macht frei,” (Work makes you free). This gate leads into the parade area where prisoners lined up every day to do role call.

We first watched a video explaining historical information and showing the atrocities committed there. Afterwards, we were left to wander the eerily picturesque grounds and visit the museum for a while longer. It was difficult to understand the scale of what happened at Dachau and the many other camps. Visiting today certainly brought me and perhaps others closer to an understanding. As we left the camp, only managing to spare an hour, the unassuming nature that surrounded the compound provided us with humbling reflections.

Lest we forget.

Today was our first jammed packed day of touring. It began with a fantastic breakfast in the hotel, which was a great mix of familiar american food and the more German meats and fluffy pastries. All of it was amazingly prepared, fresh and delicious. From there we promptly boarded the bus and headed to Nymphenburg Palace, the summer home of the old Bavarian kings. There

we were dazzled by the splendor of the royal family, from the sheer size of the house and grounds to the exquisite gardens and gilded walls full of murals. Needless to say we were spell-bound. From there we head back into Munich and heard (and saw) the famous Glockenspiel in the Marienplatz. We also had the pleasure of being serenaded by Nicholas on an outside piano and surprised by human statues.

By noon however we were finally ready to do what we came to Germany to do: sing! We had the great pleasure of singing in the Frauenkirche, an stunningly beautiful cathedral and the tallest building in Munich. The experience was soul changing,  When we stopped singing, it felt as if the sound continued for days.

Then, after a quick lunch, we made a much more sobering stop to Dackau, the site of one of the first Nazi concentration camps. Our souls were changed here as well, but in a much different manner.

Seeing the conditions of the camp and pictures of the prisoners is a sight none of us will forget.

After gathering our thoughts and things, we grabbed a quick dinner and head to Erding for our first full length concert. We sang for the people of Erding in a local church, who greeted us with a very warm welcome and responded enthusiastically to our music. If this is a sign of the concerts to come, we will be in great shape!

We have barely begun and what a great trip it is already turning out to be. We all arrived safely at the airport yesterday evening and boarded Lufthansa. To our chagrin we discovered that Dr. Thornton had more than prepared for the trip by dressing to match the airplane’s upholstery! After we took off late in the evening from a miserably rainy Logan airport we were greeted in the skies by a fantastic sunset, a beautiful farewell for us from the states.

The crew warmly welcomed us aboard with tea and coffee before we set out for a much needed rest on the plane; by the time we arrived in Munich it was already 9:35am the next day and we had lost 6 hours of the night. On the ground we were greeted by Karel, our tour guide for the trip, brandishing a sign for UMass chamber choir as high as his short stature allowed. He safely guided us to the bus

and promptly began to tell us all about the history of the city, from its roots as a fortified city in the separate nation of Bavaria to the history of the famous Glockenspiel in the town square (which we will hear played tomorrow). After familiarizing us enough with the city, Karel sent us out on our own to explore. Needless to say we were giddy with excitement as we tried to take in all the sights at once. The streets

were filled with old buildings and hardly any skyscrapers, making the steeples of the churches tower above anything else. Once inside some of these older buildings, we were greeted by shops full of trinkets, large halls with food and live music, and amazing looking meats and pastries. After several hours of pictures, food, and exploring, we returned to the bus and made our way to the hotel Ibis, where we caught up with the few members who had traveled to Munich ahead of us. Now most of us are sneaking in a quick nap to make up for the 6 hours we lost before enjoying dinner at 7pm tonight, where we will discuss all that is planned for us tomorrow!