This modern city occupying a prominent place in the world history is the capital of the Federal Republic of Germany. It has a full and varied history, which makes it one of the best attractions for those who want to get acquaintance with the result of the Second World War effects. Probably the most important and at the same time impressive lessons you will get in Berlin is visiting the concentration camp memorial. This article will explain you about these tours, how important they are and important information you need to know before get on with the journey.
The Significance of Berlin’s Concentration Camp Tours
The extermination camps were in Germany characterized as pitiless agent of oppression during the Second World War. Nowadays, they represent allocated memory of the crimes and operate as vivid illustration to make people remember the worst period of humanity. Tours of Berlin’s concentration camp help people get an in-depth view of what the holocaust looked like, and pay respect to the victims of human brutality.
Which Concentration Camps Should Be Visited?
Some of the concentration camp memorial sites are around Berlin. The two most prominent ones are:
Sachsenhausen concentration camp
As the first and one of the biggest concentration camps, Sachsenhausen is situated near Berlin. It can be regarded as the camps prototype and is now a memorial and museum. Despite its unsuitable climate for the methodology, people can go inside the preserved buildings, watch exhibitions, and listen to stories of real survivors or professional guides.
The Oranienburg Concentration Camp
Similarly located near Berlin the Oranienburg Concentration Camp is historically related to the camp of Sachsenhausen. It was at first a prisoner camp and subsequently developed into a concentration camp. Nowadays, tourists can watch the last ones, explore buildings and exhibits and familiarize themselves with its history.
Preparing for Your Visit
As you plan to go tour the concentration camps, one should be prepared psychologically and emotionally. It can be a bit intimidating but one should pay respects to the victims and then respect the sheer dreadful place one is about to enter. Here are a few tips to help you prepare:
Visit libraries, watch documentaries, or use educational materials to get a general view of the holocaust before you visit.
Wear relaxed appropriate dressing and shoes, more so because the tours may require one to stand or walk most of the time.
Regarding the opening times and allowed visits to the given concentration camp you should always check due to some interferences.
If you wish to be more informed or to receive more historical information about the site one can go in for a guided tour.
During Your Visit
The first thing to do when you get to the concentration camp is to set time aside to go through the displays, read the texts and just take a moment to look around. You should always keep in your mind that it’s the place where you are to pay your last respect to someone. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Be respectful at all times. Do not make loud noises, touch exhibits with your hands or arms, and remain conscious of other guests.
- Do not go taking photos unless you are told to do so. Certain regions may forbid photography just to preserve the sanctity of the place.
- Pay attention to the wording of any commentary or instructional resources you are made to hear or given. They will give background information, experiences and other features about the concentration camp.
- Spend some time exploring the area of memorial complex. Read the existing literature and then proceed physically to the variousparading buildings and exhibitions and monuments.
- This paper also has looking into the past in order to mold the future as its guiding theme.
- Exploring most of the concentration camp memorial sites in Berlin is not easy but that is why it is very important to pay our respect to the victims who endured the holocaust. And given what humanity has been able to achieve when it comes to Shoah, we can come up with a world that should not be full of hate and racial discriminations or violence.
- Therefore, if you are a tourist in Berlin, don’t forget to visit Sachsenhausen or Oranienburg Concentration Camp. These tours will be memorable and make you understand that the holocaust victims should not be forgotten.