Vance tours Dachau concentration camp ahead of Munich Security Conference: ‘what unspeakable evil’

Vice President JD Vance, accompanied by his wife Usha Vance, embarked on a poignant visit to the Dachau concentration camp in Germany. The site, a grim reminder of the heinous atrocities committed by Nazi Germany during World War II, serves as a powerful symbol of the horrors endured by Jews and other minority groups.

Standing near the entrance of the camp, Vance solemnly remarked, “What happened here should never happen again.” The couple, joined by 96-year-old Holocaust survivor Abba Naor, paid their respects by laying a wreath adorned with red, white, and blue ribbons at the International Monument—a bronze sculpture depicting humans entangled in barbed wire.

As they traversed the grounds, Vance expressed his profound emotions, stating, “I’ve read a lot in books. But being here, and seeing it up close in person, really drives home what unspeakable evil was committed and why we should be committed to ensuring that it never happens again.” The visit culminated at a wall bearing the inscription “Never again” in five languages, with an urn containing the ashes of an unknown prisoner placed in front.

The Dachau concentration camp, which held over 200,000 individuals between 1933-1945, saw the deaths of more than 40,000 people. Vance’s visit follows in the footsteps of other top American officials, including President Joe Biden and Vice President Mike Pence, underscoring the importance of remembering the past to prevent such atrocities in the future.

Moved by the experience, Vance emphasized the significance of preserving the memory of Dachau, stating, “It’s very important that it’s here, and it’s very important that those of us who are lucky enough to be alive and can walk around, can know what happened here and commit ourselves to do everything to prevent it from happening again.”

Following his visit to Dachau, Vance is set to attend the Munich Security Conference, where he will engage with world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Discussions are expected to center around strategies to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, with Vance and Zelenskyy slated to address President Donald Trump’s proposed initiatives.

As Vance’s five-day European trip unfolds, his poignant visit to Dachau serves as a stark reminder of the importance of remembering history to prevent its tragic repetition. The solemnity of the site underscores the need for vigilance and commitment to ensuring that the atrocities of the past remain firmly in the past.