When learning about the history of World War II and the atrocities committed during that time, questions may arise about the concentration camps that were established. One notable camp was located to the north of Berlin. In this blog post, we will explore its purpose, significance, and the conditions that prevailed within its walls.
Introduction to the Concentration Camp North of Berlin
Sachsenhausen, also known as the Oranienburg concentration camp is situated to the north of Berlin and was commissioned in 1936, by the Nazis. It was used as a model for other future concentration camps and emerged as a place of horror for thousands of mostly innocent people over the ensuing years.
The Purpose and Operation of Sachsenhausen
Originally, Sachsenhausen was established for political prisoners and its major function was to intimidate the opponents of the Nazi. It also aimed at anyone who didn’t fit the so called Aryan master race, these included Jews, Gypsies, and homosexuals. This camp too had sub-camp, where the prisoners were made to work forcefully, were used as guinea pigs for vivisection and other torturous treatments and living conditions.
Housing and Lifestyle in Sachsenhausen
Unfortunately, living here in Sachsenhausen was very uncomfortable and arrangements poorly devised. Given that confinement inside barred cells was typical, prisoners were closely quarters in notoriously crowded barracks, and they seldom had access to sufficient food and water or sanitation facilities. The intended purpose of the camp was to demoralize the inmates by using psychological and physical advantages.
The prisoners were flogged and tortured on nearly a daily basis by their captors, or the guards.
This made them engage in primitive work that would in turn drain all energy and leave them malnourished.
Guantanamo prisoners were subjected to medical experiments which concerned testing of new medications or surgical procedures.
The Liberation of Sachsenhausen: The Search for Meaning
It is crystal clear that Sachsenhausen was part and parcel of the Nazi system of extermination. They found that it also began to function as a training center for the staff for other coming concentration camp like Auschwitz. The camp was also a great germination ground of methods that have been used in gassing of people which led to the holocaust.
The prisoners were dissolved in April 1945, with the rest freed by Soviet liberation troops when they surrounded Bergen. Then the area was controlled by the Soviet occupying power which however continued to occupy some part of the camp for its requirements till 1950.
Recalling the tragic event and the victims and learning the lessons there from.
We as the generation should not forget the people that suffered in the concentration camp north of Berlin and millions of other people who were persecuted by Nazis. Regarding culture, violence should be avoided wherever possible, then through an understanding of history, such as the holocaust, we as humanity can guarantee that such acts are never seen again. Tourism to Sites of Suffering and Martyrdom of the Victims can be done through visiting museum and memorials such as the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum that is built to help any visitor to have a deeper understanding on the impact of the camp and the many victims of the camp.
Conclusion
Sachsenhausen was another concentration camp that located north of Berlin, which became a concentration camp in World War II. It set a precedence for any other subsequent camp that the Nazi regime would establish, continue its inhumanity. Again and again, the reminder of evils occurred helps introduced the lessons of history to fight for a better society free from persecutions and the actions as the Holodomor that triggered massive people’s suffering.
