Dachau is a city in Southern Germany, located approximately 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Munich. It is historically significant as the site of one of the first and longest-running concentration camps established by Nazi Germany, which opened on March 22, 1933.
The camp was originally situated on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory northeast of the medieval town of Dachau. Initially intended to intern political opponents such as communists and social democrats, its purpose expanded under Heinrich Himmler to include forced labor and the imprisonment of Jews, Romani, Germans, Austrians, and foreign nationals from occupied territories. The camp system eventually grew to encompass nearly 100 sub-camps across southern Germany and Austria.
The main concentration camp was liberated by U.S. forces on April 29, 1945. It was the third concentration camp to be liberated by British or American Allied forces during the conflict.