Local veterans to speak on concentration camp liberation

By Liz Clancy Lerner

dachau concentration camp small Two local World War II veterans will speak about their involvement in the liberation of Dachau, the notorious Nazi concentration camp, during World War II this Friday at 2 pm at the New York State Military Museum in Saratoga Springs.

George Williams of Niskayuna and Richard Marowitz of Albany -- both now in their 80s -- were part of the Army's 42 Infantry "Rainbow" Division. (It's now a National Guard unit based in Troy.) On April 29, 1945, the unit liberated an estimated 30,000 people.

Marowitz was there the day of Dachau's liberation. Williams toured the concentration camp with the division after the war ended.

Even after the camp was liberated, many of the former inmates could not leave for at least a few weeks -- they were sick, injured, and their homes were destroyed. The 42nd assisted with medical needs at the camp.

The event this Friday coincides with the traveling exhibit "Names Instead of Numbers", which started as an exhibit in Europe and now travels around the US. The exhibit's displays and banners are based on a book of biographies and narratives of the lives of more than 130 prisoners who were at the camp. The exhibit is on display at the military museum this month until the beginning of May.

May 1 is Yom HaShoah -- Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Photo of survivors of Dachau celebrating their liberation courtesy Army's 42nd Infantry.

Find It

New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center
61 Lake Avenue
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Comments

Can you fix your link to "Names Instead of Numbers"?

Note: If you are using Google's Chrome as your browser, it will offer to translate the page from German to English. Love the Google.

Editors: Fixed. Thanks.


I went to Dachau when I was last in Germany. The best description I can come up with is 'chilling'.

This should be a pretty interesting event. Wish I could get out of work to attend.

I wish it weren't during school hours. I think a lot of high schoolers would benefit from this.

I was at Dachau last month and noticed the sign about Rainbow Division's liberation of the camp, much to my surprise. I can only image what it was like 66 years ago today.

Wish I was home just so I could attend the talk.

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