The Oranienberg Germany Concentration Camp or Sachsenhausen was one of the earliest concentration camps that were set in Germany by the Nazis. The camp was named after Oranienburg, the town in which it was located, around twenty miles north of Berlin; it was built originally as a prison for political prisoners. But it began in the disabled and then proceeded to the so called undesirables like Jews, homosexuals, and the Gypsies.
Origins and Purpose of the Oranienburg Camp
The Oranienburg Germany Concentration Camp was constructed in year 1936 and was a prototype for the other concentration camps. It was for the purpose of teaching a political dissident a lesson and thus furthering the cause of Nazis, this did mean removing opposition.
This particular camp was used to detain those whom the Nazis considered enemies and then harvest their labor. ’Total population’ was put through forced labour, horrendous conditions in the pen and systematic persecution.
La condition de Palace et Traitemen
It gets hard to even imagine the living conditions in the Oranienburg camp were barest of necessities and replete with unbelievable suffering. They slept in tiny, uninsulated, stinking cells, starved, sick, and afraid. They were frequently beaten, tortured, and even publicly executed by the SS guards of the camp.
Doctors working with the SS organs frequently experimented on prisoners and thus degraded them even futher. These experiments were good for the fake science that the Nazis upheld, and were performed inhumanely disregarding basic human dignity.
Notable Events
This camp, also known as the Oranienburg Germany Concentration Camp was involved in various atrocities in Second World War. Here are two notable events:
Operation Bernhard: The Nazis made it their mandate to have their counterfeit currency place in the camp with an effort of economically eradicating the enemies through falsification of currency.
Berlin Olympics 1936: The Nazis used it when Auschwitz was a camp in presentation of the idea of decent handling of prisoners during Olympic Games . Some inmates were moved to other camps for a period of time. Later, they were brought back to Oranienburg, making the conditions appear not nearly as bad.
Liberation and Legacy
Another concentration camp in Oranienburg Germany was liberated in April 1945 by the Soviet forces. After the liberation it was a Soviet special camp until 1950 for former nazis, political enemies and antifascist german prisoners of war.
In the recent past, Sachsenhausen/Oranienburg has served primarily as a memorial and museum. It provides insight into the terror of Nazi Germany and honors the victims of the regime. The place has many displays, Typical constructions and tourist guide services meant to educate the tourist on the holocaust.
Lessons Learned
Oranienburg Germany Concentration Camp is one of the main symbols of mass cruelty and the price which was paid for hatred, racial discriminative policies, and totalitarian regimes. This highlights the need for people to fight for equality and uphold human rights. Everyone must make efforts to ensure that the tragedy that happened in Darfur is never repeated.
The past, when we are able to identify and consider it, should help us create a better future. The experiences of the Oranienburg Germany Concentration Camp must not be forgotten.
