Hello Ruth, By no menas would I ever think that you could intrude on my visit to Dachau. Rather, thinking about how much mental pain you've endured in your reseaarch is an inspiration to me. I knew very little of Dachau untill going there, and so everything was a little overwhelming. It was overcast as we walked through the camp, which added to the somber mood.

As you mentioned, there were about 2,700 clergy that were imprisoned there (mainly Polish priests), and they were housed in barracks 26, 28, and 30, seperated from the rest of the inmates. For about 6 months they recieved better provisions and wine from the Vatican for communion, untill those privileges were cut off and then only the German priests recieved better treatment. I can just imagine some of those priests feeling the terrible internal conflict of wanting to pastor the other inmates, but also wanting to survive themselves.

I remember my grandpa talking about how cigarettes were used as currency, and he even gave me a glass ash tray that he exchanged for a cigarette once (which seemed ironic for him at the time, because usually the ash tray would be worth more)

Even though in one of the documentaries that I watched there was a lady who was interviewed that said that when she was liberated she was too numb to feel anything - one of the moments when I started tearing up out of gratitude for what my grandfather and other troops had done was when I saw the pictures of the freed prisoners with smiles on their faces, rejoicing that they survived

The importance of my grandpa's work I uderstood as being even more significant than before, by realizing there had been a typhus epidemic that had broken out before the liberation, which still needed to be combated even while the doctors were caring for the 60,000 survivors.

The death marches before the liberation were horrible - done just to kill more people before the nazi's imminent defeat

It was also sad to realize that the camp was later used to house immigrants after the war

To stand in the middle of the place where the inmates would have stood for hours during role call and to think about what may have been going through their minds was so depressing and terrifying... "I'll probably die if I try to flee, and I'll probably die if I stay."

I loved seeing this book, in which the full names of those who were imprisoned at the camp were given - remembering that they were actually people and not just numbers.

The best part was hugging my German friend (my wife's cousin's husband) after having lamented and wept together for what took place there.

Unfortunately I couldn't find any of your books at the store... This one was the closest to your last name that I could find

Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words as Alejandra and I are back here in Colombia, serving the Lord and his church. Though it's important to look back and remember the past, it's even more important to be faithful to what God has called us to in the present... Still, just like my grandpa would frequently emphasize - we can never forget.

Your friend, Sam