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Lowther House

So my driving companion (pictured below, waiting patiently in the truck) and I were on our way back from a fairly substantial drive when I spotted this place on the side of the highway. It's rather unique, as abandoned houses go, in terms of its shape and layout.

Lookout Inn

This was my first exploration with one of my coworkers.

Skylark Drive In

The Skylark Drive In, in its original incarnation, opened in the 1950's, and closed in 1982 and lay unused.

This 275-car venue was re-opened in 2000 by Willie and Julie Greco. In 2012, it was announced that the drive in would close once again. The Grecos were leasing the land, but were never able to secure sufficient funding to purchase it. The owner is believed to have other plans for the land and chose not to renew the lease. To date, none of these plans appear to have materialized.

Auschwitz II - Birkenau

Auschwitz I

With Germany's quick victory over Poland, there was a division of territory according to an earlier agreement between Hitler and Stalin. The eastern portion of Poland would be given to the Soviet Union. There would be a central buffer zone, and the western portion of the country would become part of Germany.

Beelitz

A complex of over 60 buildings, Beelitz-Heilstatten began life as a sanatorium in 1898. By World War I, however, it became a military hospital for the Imperial German Army, and would have the dubious distinction of treating a young Adolf Hitler in October and November of 1916 when wounded during the Battle of the Somme.

Lowen-Adler Kaserne

The Lowen-Adler Kaserne, or Lion-Eagle Barracks began in 1892 as a military training ground under Emperor Wilhelm II. It was so named because it was technically two separate barracks, the Lion's Barracks for infantry training, and the Eagle's Barracks for artillery and later mechanized training.

Sperenberg Airbase

Activity here began during the Prussian Empire. A military laboratory and testing site was constructed here as part of the Kummersdorf Complex. In the early days, before the construction of facilities at Peenemunde, Wernher von Braun began work on his rockets near here.

Ravensbruck Concentration Camp

In November, 1938, approximately 500 male prisoners were sent from the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp to begin construction of Ravensbruck. Unlike other concentration camps being constructed, Ravensbruck was intended specifically for female prisoners.

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

One who follows history cannot possibly go to Germany without setting aside the time to visit at least one of the former Nazi camps. During our trip, we visited two in Germany, and two in Poland. This was the first we visited, which was fitting because it was, in fact, the first in the system of camps, and was intended to be the model by which the subsequent camps were to be made and operated.