In Oranienburg about 30 kilometers north of Berlin, Germany, stands the dreaded Sachsenhausen concentration camp. The camp of Sachsenhausen was one of the first established by the Nazis and was a witness to and participant in the genocide of millions of people.

Background and Construction

Sachsenhausen, was constructed in 1936 by SS with the guidance of Heinrich Himmler. It was used as a prototype of the remaining concentration camps that were to be built by the Nazis in future. This camp was well located close to the capital city Berlin this made it rather easy for the transport of prisoners.

This camp was divided into several areas meaning complexes which comprised of prison, barracks and administrative camps. It had electric barbed wire hurdles, watch towers, which made it impossible for anyone to try to escape from the camp.

Conditions at the Camp

Living conditions in the camp at Sachsenhausen were horrific,_line,_prisoners_of_Germany_were_exposed_to_hard_labour,_starvation,_and_severe_physical_combat. By any means of force some prisoners died from the tiredness, deficiency of food, or sickness. It also provided education for SS guards to be cruel and inhumane to the prisoners they are controlling.

Targeted Groups

Sachsenhausen was principal for the imprisonment of political opponents with other groups targeted for extermination included Jews homosexuals, Roma and Soviet POWs. However much the war went on the camp had to be expanded to be able to hold more and more prisoners with different their background.

Inhumane Medical Experiments

Like any other concentration camp, Sachsenhausen also helped the Nazi doctors to indulge in their sickening medical experiments. That is why these experiments were conducted: to see who could endure it most; to examine whether blacks and whites reacted differently; and to invent new techniques of tormenting the prisoners.

This camp prisoners exposed them to very low temperatures, deadly diseases, surgery on prisoners without the use of any anesthetic among other inhuman treatments. Such experiments led to the severe injures, disabilities or even the death of the victims almost in all of the cases.

Resistance and Liberation

Nevertheless, there were some underground movement formed among the hist performers by some prisoners inside the camp due to constant murders. The provided the Resistance with codes and developed ‘civilian’ industries which produced arms for the Norwegian Underground and destroyed Nazi resources. However, the majority of those who resisted suffered a grave penalty, including death penalty.

Finally in April 1945 Sachsenhausen was liberated by Soviets. The camp has been liberated that put an end to the camp’s terror when followed by the investigation of these war crimes and prosecution of individuals involved.

Memorial and Remembrance

Currently, Sachsenhausen is an ordeal and a mausoleum for the victims and a museum for people to learn the hard truth of the Holocaust. Tours, exhibitions and structures have been preserved to provide visitors formal and stately reminder of the atrocities that happened here in the camp.

The memorial has also the function of calling to memory so that people do not forget such a terrible experience and promote discussions about human rights and equality.

Visiting Sachsenhausen

When planning to visit Sachsenhausen certain etiquette should be adopted and laws governing visitation should be followed. Note that Sachsenhausen is an important site for concentration and memorial. Guide tour is an effective way to deepen the understanding of the place, its history and the fates of the victims.

What you wear should be neat to ensure you show respect to the victims and families in attendance.

Forbidding selfies or smiling photos at the site, you should use photography only when it is necessary.

No talking or loud disturbances allowed in quiet zones.

You should have wondered about the past of this camp, explore the history with the guides to deepen your knowledge.

Here, at Sachsenhausen, you have an opportunity to support further preservation of history and remembrance of the victims.