45Dachau 194545
45th Division News & SS Gate Photo
Dachau SS camp gate

On April 29, 1945, "Task Force Sparks" which consisted of elements of "I" and "L" Companies of  the 3rd Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment of the 45th Division supported by elements of the 191st Tank Battalion liberated Dachau. During liberation, some of the SS guards were killed in combat resisting the liberation, some were killed by inmates, and some were executed by GIs.

The 45th Infantry Division is recognized as a liberating unit of Dachau by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the U. S. Army Center of Military History.

The first photos were taken by by T/4 Arland B. Musser, 163rd Signal Photographic Company, Seventh Army.

PFC Felix A. Cizewski was in the 45th Signal Company at that time. On April 29th, the day of liberation, the 45th Signal Compnay was moving from Schrobenhausen about 39 miles (63 kilometers) by road north of Dachau to Haimhausen, about 8 miles (13 kilometers) by road northeast of Dachau. On  April 30th, the day after liberation, the 45th Signal Company moved to Feldmoching, Munich, about 7 1/2 milies (12 kilomters) by road southeast of Dachau.

"Immediately after Dachau's liberation, U.S. Army authorities and other Allied representatives began treating the sick prisoners, implementing health and sanitary measures to curb the typhus epidemic, and bringing in tons of food to feed the starving prisoners. The local townspeople were brought in to give the dead prisoners a proper burial." From United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Holocaust Encyclopedia's entry The 45th Infantry Division.

Felix would have had the opportunity to visit Dachau. As he was fluent in Polish, he would have been able to converse with inmates.

The 45th Division was stationed on occupation duty in Munich area near Dachau from May until late July, 1945.

After VE Day, May 8, 1945: General Patton became military governor of Bavaria, which included Dachau and the 45th Division, and ordered that no charges be brought against the GIs involved in the execution of guards

Felix never spoke of Dachau before his death in 2004. Dachau meant something to him as he kept a copy of the 45th Division News with the report of the liberation and a photo of the gate to the SS camp.

Dachau related links

 
Cizewski, Lovetere, Musbach, & Robinson
Family History Ibiblio Index

© 2006 Leonard H. Cizewski
Last Modified on June 9, 2009
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