Located just outside Berlin, Sachsenhausen was a concentration camp during the era of Nazi Germany. Built in 1936, it served as a model for other camps and was later expanded during World War II. Sachsenhausen was primarily used for political prisoners and played a significant role in the Holocaust. In this blog post, we will dive into the history, life inside the camp, and its significance today.
The History of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
Sachsenhausen was built with the collaboration of the SS (Schutzstaffel) in year 1936. It was originally designed for the holding of political rival of the Nazi regime like communists, social democrats and trade unionists. But from the next years it turned into concentration camp for forced labor, for medical experiments and genocide. Many prisoners from different countries passed through Siberia’s gates suffering terrible hardships.
Life Inside Sachsenhausen
Sachsenhausen concentration camp like most were a terrible place, prisoners were exposed to hard labor, lack of food and other essentials and terrible treatments. There was also numerous branches of the main camp, which included prisoners and meant for manufacturing supplies for German industries, participating in the war efforts.
Guards inflicted any number of physical restraints – whippings, standing confinement, and torture in general. They were later taken to the extermination centers thus resulting in their demise.. The prisoners were also subjected to trials of different kinds of drugs and diseases.
Sachsenhausen today
The Sachsenhausen now is a concentration camp memorial and museum that exists to provide visitors with the knowledge of how the Nazis treated people during the war. Contact with a place gives an opportunity to study its history and to honor the memory of the perished.
Touring in Sachsenhausen Memorial
Sachsenhausen does offer visitors the chance to see some of the actual remains of the camp intact; this includes the gatehouse, barracks and crematoriums. An example is that in exhibitions one gets to learn a lot about the history of the camp and also the way prisoners in the camp lived.
Visitors can opt for guided tours in order to have a better look at the history of this site. It is advised the public should inquire on the operational working hours and book in advance for an easy time during their visit.
Tips for a Meaningful Visit
Ensure that the visit takes enough time. Prepare to invest a few hours just to read the information given all around and think over it in the memorial.
Dress formally, smart and comfortable shoes because you are going to be moving a lot; both walking and standing.
Carry your own water and snacks because sometimes these are unavailable at the scene of the dive.
Do not forget that the atmosphere in the memorial area is rather serious and ask your companions not to take pictures in the zones where it is forbidden.
Directed History Tours are mightily recommended for a better understanding of the historical and personal backgrounds of the sites.
Conclusion
Sachsenhausen concentration camp is one of the terrible places which can tell a story of sufferings and death of millions. From these histories and the site’s remembrance of the victims, the unity serves to impart on its guests the fates of hate and prejudice. Sachsenhausen plays a critical role of historical generation to make sure that anyone who suffered during the World War III is remembered.
