Max puffed his chest out. Why could his father not see that he was a man? He was twelve years old, for goodness’ sake. He wasn’t a child! Everyone else could see it. Why did his father still treat him like a little kid?

Max decided to take a risk. ‘I hope so, sir,’ he replied, kicking his heels together and standing to attention.

The soldier laughed again. ‘Look at you,’ he said. ‘You’ll be one of us before long. I’ll look out for you.’ He pulled the gate open to let them come through. ‘Welcome to Dachau.’

As Max followed his father through the gate, he felt as if the words above the door held a magical power just for him. He had never felt so light, so capable of anything.

They walked along a concrete path. Long white buildings with tiny windows lined the path on both sides.

‘I have some paperwork to do first of all,’ his father said as he opened a door into one of the buildings and they entered a small office. He pointed at a chair in the corner of the room. ‘Sit there, keep quiet and wait, and then I’ll show you around.’

Max did what he was told. He watched as various soldiers came into the room with forms for his father to check and sign. He listened as his father barked orders to men who instantly jumped to fulfil them.

‘Yes, sir. Heil Hitler!’ they would say, standing to attention and saluting before they left the room.

Max already knew his father was an important man, but being with him at work made him realize that he had never understood quite how important he was. He was one of the top officers of this whole place!

Watching him work – his efficiency, his clarity, the respect he had from all of his staff – Max swore to himself that he would be just like him one day.

‘Right.’ The paperwork was finished and his father checked his watch as he got up from his seat. ‘Midday. You want to see how we do roll call around here?’

‘Yes please!’ Max jumped up and followed his father out of the office. They walked along the concrete path between the buildings.

To their right, from behind the buildings and stretching ahead, high poles stood at regular intervals. They were joined together with rows and rows of barbed wire and ran as far ahead as Max could see.

‘Don’t go near those,’ his father instructed when he saw Max looking. ‘They are electric. It’ll kill you if you touch them.’

Max could see soldiers parading the length of the fence. He hoped none of them accidentally tripped and got electrified.

His father was still walking and Max ran to catch him up. They turned into a big square in the centre of the camp. Ahead of them Max could see rows and rows of low buildings.