Shortly after the American liberators of Dachau arrived on April 29, 1945, they interviewed 20 of the prisoners “in order to determine what conditions had been like in the judgement (sic) of these men.” According to the report, “Care was taken to pick only those with red triangles on their uniforms.” The political prisoners wore red triangles and the German criminals wore green triangles.
The Americans did not want to talk to the German “hardened criminals in the camp,” according to the Report. The political prisoners at Dachau were mainly Communists and were allies with the Americans. Many of the German criminals were Kapos who were prisoners who helped in running the camp. The Kapos might have told the story from the point of view of the SS administrators of the camp. Obviously, that’s not what the Americans wanted to hear.
A few weeks later, a report entitled “Dachau” was released. The report was later retitled “Dachau Liberated, The Official Report” and published in 2000; it was edited by Michael W. Perry and the book includes some additional material as well as some drawings done by an American soldier who was there when the camp was liberated. (more…)
