2006 photograph by Stephen Bell, issued on Wikipedia for public domain use.

Photograph taken in Summer of 2004.

Standing inside and facing the main gate, this is the original guard tower to the left side of the gate. Note that the fence was wired to have been electrified at the time the prison camp was active.

Photograph taken in Summer of 2004.

Standing inside and facing the main gate, this is the original guard tower to the right side of the main gate. Note that the fence was wired to have been electrified at the time this prison camp was active.

"JEDEM DAS SEINE" means literally, "Each man makes his own," or, to translate from Latin, "To each what he deserves."

Buchenwald: Standing inside the main gate and looking toward it. The German words were meant to be read by the prisoners on the inside, to send them the message that they deserved to be there. How awful.

"JEDEM DAS SEINE"

As viewed from inside the main gate at Buchenwald. The words were made to be read by the prisoners inside in an attempt to destroy their spirit. What an ugly part of history.

Standing inside the compound of Buchenwald, here the original chimney is visible. Note that the chimney is not a part of the large building which is in the forefront of this photograph.

The crowded trains were coming in full of people and leaving empty. The awful, thick smoke was billowing forth daily. And Weimar as a whole said it knew nothing of the atrocities which were being committed at Buchenwald for years. Perhaps the fear of Weimar's citizens was that if they spoke up, they would be next to be forced to board those trains.

It is well documented in history that the residents of Weimar claimed to not know anything of what was happening at Buchenwald, which is just up the hill and sits above Weimar. Town officials and some ordinary townspeople were escorted to Buchenwald after the Liberation and forced to smell and see what had happened there. Some clearly exhibited shock or horror, others just stood by with blank stares, and in the video which was taken of this viewing event, a few Weimar women could be seen covering their faces with scarves as they tried to brace themselves from the lingering odor of death and cry over the aftermath they were witnessing.

Let the world never forget how inhumane humans can become -- and what power fear can have over hearts and minds.

More importantly, let the world also never forget how the underground people networks of Dutch, Polish, Germans, British -- and many other countries -- risked their lives and the lives of their own families in order to get children and adults to safety -- almost all of whom were complete strangers -- using forged documents and excellent yarns. Mr. Schindler, you and so many others became people of conscience who will go down in history as some of the boldest and best humanity has yet had to offer. Your legacy is the tens of thousands of people who are alive today -- and their thriving children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren -- because of your bravery.

Photograph taken in Summer of 2004.

Memorial plaque for people who died in the camps.

Sowjetisches Speziallager Nr. 2, Buchenwald 1945–1950