Visiting historical sites can be an impactful way to learn about the past and honor those affected by significant events. One such important site is the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, located near Berlin in Germany. This blog post aims to provide you with a comprehensive guide to visiting Sachsenhausen, including its history, what to expect during your visit, and the valuable lessons you can take away from this profound experience.
1. Understanding the History of Sachsenhausen
Sachsenhausen was one of the very few primary concentration camps created by the Nazi government during Second World War. Constructed in 1936, it was a model camp and the camps ‘training ground’ for ss personnel. Sachsenhausen was a camp where tens of thousands of people were imprisoned, tormented through forced labor, starved, tortured, gassed, and killed between 1936 and the end of the war.
2. A Guide to Visiting Sachsenhausen
If you are interested in visiting Sachsenhausen, here are some important details to consider:
2.1 Location and Accessibility
Sachsenhausen is located approximately 35 kilometers in the north of central Berlin. It should not be a problem to reach it by train, using the regional train (RB14) which departs from the Friedrichstrasse railway station in Berlin and go to Oranienburg. From there, one can take a bus for about half an hour or take a 25 minutes walk and reach the entrance of the camp.
2.2 Opening Hours and Admission
The camp is accessible to visitors all the year round and it is closed only on December 24 and December 31. The tours present here can be carried throughout the year with different schedules, so to find out more about the current schedule, one should refer to the web-site of the Sachsenhausen memorial. Visiting the website of the memorial is free, however, there are fees for guided tours of the site.
2.3 Visitor Guidelines
During the trip there are many interesting places but the most important thing is to be extremely careful during participating in the sightseeing in Sachsenhausen because it is historical place. Here are some general guidelines to observe:
DO NOT speak loudly and stay calm while within the premise of the said memorial.
Make sure you are dressed forty-fives in comfortable formal clothes depending on the weather.
Appointment with the staff and guides of the tour must be adhered to and obey their instructions.
Do not make contact with any object, decorations or relics.
Photograph properly, do not take selfies or pose vulgarly.
Avoid littering the site then leave it as it is.
3. Journey to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
It is quite sad to visit Sachsenhausen, if time and again somebody asked me to go there I could happily accept the call. Moving around the camp, you will be able to visit the area of prisoner’s living quarters, the punishment cells, the infirmary or the execution ground.
There are many informational signs and panels installed all through the site that help to put into historical and biographical perspective a tour of the former prisoner barracks. These exhibits provide more information about the functioning of this camp and the printed suffering of its inmates.
Residents are encouraged to use guided tours conducted by expert personnel and are readily available. These tours are helpful, so you don’t miss anything important when walking through the massive area of Sachsenhausen.
4. Lessons and Reflections
Whoever sets foot in Sachsenhausen can return home enriched and should never forget what has happened there. Here are some key takeaways:
4.1 Education and Awareness
To gain a better understanding of Sachsenhausen, one will gain consciousness on the mischief carried out in the Nazi period. Learning forms a key approach to history non-repetition, and analyzing the past leads to a formation of a new kind and more accepting society.
4.2 Remembering the Victims
Should you ever go to Sachsenhausen, try to pay respect to the people who perished and died there. Accept everything they say, and as much as possible offer respect to their long-lasting remembrance.
4.3 Promoting Human Rights
Sachsenhausen concentration camps also act to wake the society up to the need to uphold some fundamental freedom for everyone. It motivates us to fight racism, oppression and bigotry.
Conclusion
Taking a tour of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp will be enlightening as well as service worthwhile. Visiting the place and some parts of it it’s easily to get the feel of brutality and ruthlessness of the World War II. Also it is important to bear in mind that one need to be courteous and as a result, sensitive during the visit paying homage to the victims. People should know their mistakes so that there can be changes in future.
