The Former Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
Sachsenhausen was the first concentration camp near Berlin and one of the most significant in Nazi Germany. Here we’ll tell you its history, how it was transformed into a prison, and later, into a memorial that honors all its victims and is open to visitors today.
During World War II, the Nazis created many concentration camps across Europe, some for forced labor and others for extermination. Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, however, was designed as a model camp to embody the ideals of the Nazi regime and convey their clear intentions to the world.
The best way to comprehend the horrors of this place is by taking a free tour of Sachsenhausen. In a 6-hour guided visit, you can immerse yourself in one of the darkest chapters of European history.
History of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was built in 1936 in the town of Oranienburg, 35 kilometers from Berlin. It was established as a model camp for the ideals of the SS (Schutzstaffel) and the Gestapo, the Nazi state’s political police.
Over 200,000 people were detained at Sachsenhausen between 1936 and 1945. Initially, these were political prisoners opposing the regime, but later, groups that the Nazis considered inferior, such as Jews, Sinti, Roma, homosexuals, and Allied prisoners of war, were brought here. There were just over 20,000 women, and 90% of the inmates were foreigners, mostly from the Soviet Union and Poland.
Thousands of inmates died from starvation, disease, forced labor, and medical experiments. The SS began extermination operations with “the neck-shot unit” and built a gas chamber in 1943, calling it “Station Z,” cynically marking the end.
The evacuation of Sachsenhausen began in the early hours of April 21, 1945. Around 3,000 sick inmates, as well as nurses and doctors who had been left behind in the camp, were freed. Unfortunately, 300 of the former inmates did not survive their liberation.
After WWII, the site was used by the Soviet Secret Service. From 1945 to 1950, it became known as the “Camp of Silence,” where of the 60,000 detained, at least 12,000 died due to starvation, disease, and the appalling conditions in the camp.
In 1961, the site began being preserved as a museum and memorial to honor the victims.
What to See at the Sachsenhausen Museum and Memorial
The Sachsenhausen Museum and Memorial allows visitors to learn history right where these events took place. Through 13 exhibits, you can delve into the origins of this Berlin concentration camp, learn more about the Soviet Special Camp, and understand the history of the memorial itself.
The tour is intense and emotional. You can walk through the grounds, hear the stories, and relive the horrors. Some of the most important stops in the camp are:
Tower A
The main guard tower of the camp, through which all prisoners entered to reach various cells.
Barrack 38
Now turned into the Museum of Resistance, Barrack 38 housed Jewish prisoners. You can see reconstructed bunks and sinks based on survivor accounts.
Punishment Cells
This building served as a prison for the most important prisoners. Here, the Gestapo also tortured and murdered without restraint.
Infirmary Barracks
In all Nazi concentration camps, there were spaces designated for horrific experiments on inmates: mutilations, sterilizations, and other abuses, which often ended in death.
Station Z
The ruins of the crematorium ovens and the remnants of the old gas chamber remain here. It was the place where prisoners “left” after being deceived.
Without a doubt, visiting this place is an emotional and essential experience. Join the Free Tour of Sachsenhausen and explore the concentration camp with an expert Spanish-speaking guide. (It’s much more enriching than going alone.)
If you’re planning a short trip to Berlin, be sure to include a visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Although there is much to see in Berlin in just three days, this tour will leave a lasting impact, helping you understand a significant part of history.