We visited Anne Frank's house in June and when we knew we'd be in Poland in September, I knew we'd…read morehave to visit Stutthof. Stutthof was established by the Nazis in 1939 after the invasion of Poland. This was a very difficult visit on many levels. It is impossible to totally comprehend the atrocities committed here and at other camps. Located about 20 miles outside of Gdansk, the museum shows the camp as it existed and illustrated the harsh, inhumane conditions experienced by those forced to be there. The camp opened September 2, 1939 just after Germany's invasion of Poland and closed in 1945 just before the end of the war. Residents included political prisoners, "undesirables", and Jews. It is estimated that approximately 60,000 people were murdered here. When detainees arrived at the camp, they surrendered their clothes and shoes and were given simple "uniforms" to wear. An identifying mark on the uniform indicated which "undesirable" group you were a part of. One of the first displays was a huge display box which over 50,000 pairs of shoes which were taken as detainees entered the camp. (picture included) The tour illustrated the harsh conditions detainees lived under. There was little or no food, disease was rampant and physical and mental cruelty were inflicted regularly . There is a lot of history to learn including the Death Marches that occurred when the camp closed. The entire visit was difficult and gut wrenching but seeing the gas chambers and crematorium was beyond description. I definitely saw more than I wanted to see but understand that's the importance of a visit like this. While vacations are supposed to be fun, I could not imagine being in the area and not coming here.