During World War II, Berlin was a central location for the establishment and operation of several concentration camps. These camps were used by the Nazi regime to imprison, torture, and exterminate millions of innocent people. In this blog post, we will explore the main concentration camps that existed in Berlin and shed light on the atrocities committed during this dark period of history.

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Sachsenhausen concentration camp is situated in the Oranienburg district of Berlin and it was among the oldest and most prolonged working concentration camp of the Nazis. It was an example of many subsequent camps and had a very important function in the formation of the SS officers. Set up for political prisoners in the start, the camp was later used for Jews, homosexuals and other undesirables ones.

Likely, conditions in Sachsenhausen were severe, with prisoners worked and tortured, used for medical experiments and exterminated. The camp had a complex of sub-camps and turns into the headquarters of other camps in the area.

Ravensburg Concentration camp

This camp mainly imprisoned female prisoners who were political detainees, resistance fighters and women of all ages and nationalities, and is situated to the north of Berlin. This camp was famous for Medial experiments on women and children and it was also famous for torture in terms of living standards.

However, despite many adversities, women prisoner at Ravensbrück actively participated in resistaance movement, and some of them were even able to escape, or help fellow inmates to escape. The wars’ end in 1945 marked the freedom that Ravensbrück prisoners by Soviet forces put an end to their suffering.

Sachsenhausen, or Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg Concentration Camp

Although the camp was not located in the heart of Berlin, which merits mentioning due to the fact that the camp was near to Berlin, and the authorities of the Berlin took active part of the management of the camp Buchenwald. The most popular one is situated near Weimar and was founded in 1937 for various prisoners, Jews, political opponents, Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Men of all ages staying in Buchenwald concentration camp were exposed to various perversions inhumane treatment, providing medical experiments and being compelled to work compulsorily. Many of the camp inmates died from brutality, exhaustion or disease within the camp. The place was liberated in 1945 hence expounding and exposing heinous acts that took place in that place.

Remembering the Victims

Extreme caution must be taken not to forget the suffering victims that were incarcerated in these concentration camps. Each of the mentioned episodes in human history can make people try to avoid similar tragedies in the future.

Our readers are often introduced to various memorial sites and museums which have been set up to commemorate victims and educate the spectators. Such place like the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum provides exhibitions, guided tours and the time to think about something.

Suggestions for tours of Memorials

Plan your visit in advance: Find out when they open and any restrictions when it comes to customers and clients.

Take a guided tour: A professional guide can add further context about the general history of the location as well as historical importance of the place.

Show respect: Bear in mind that those are the sites of memory, looking for signs of the past. Do not show any form of disrespect at any moment.

Take time for reflection: It is preferable to turn these events into a well thought through reflection on the importance of the holiday and the effect of those events upon millions of people.

Anything short of educating ourselves and visiting these memorials are wasteful because victims’ memories kept alive would be instrumental in preventing future occurrence.