DACHAU, Germany — Vice President J.D. Vance and his wife visited the Dachau concentration camp memorial, laying a wreath and reflecting on the atrocities committed there. The couple walked hand in hand toward an easel supporting a large wreath adorned with white flowers and a red, white, and blue ribbon that read, “United States of America.” Together, they placed it at the base of a metal statue.
Standing before the memorial, they folded their hands and bowed their heads. Vance made the sign of the cross before looking around the former concentration camp. They later stopped before a wall inscribed with the phrase “Never Again” in multiple languages.
Vance thanked his hosts and delivered brief remarks, expressing the impact of his visit. “I’ve read a lot about the Holocaust 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,” he said.
He described the experience as somber and unforgettable. “It’s a sad moment, but it’s something that I’ll never forget, and I’m grateful to have been able to see it up close in person,” he said.
Vance also acknowledged Holocaust survivor Abba Naor, whom he said now resides in Israel. According to Vance, Naor shared that he lives with the memories of what happened every day but continues on regardless. “And I think that incredible resilience is something that we shouldn’t forget either,” Vance said. “Because there was a great atrocity that happened here, and there were also a lot of people who managed to persevere through that atrocity, and that’s something we should never forget.”
The vice president’s motorcade departed Dachau at 4:35 p.m. and arrived at his hotel at 5:08 p.m.
