And there is one reason: concentration camps exist and operate for the national and foreign policy purposes of the only nation with whom they are most closely associated, the German Nazis. They became, in fact, the maximum of camps in the history of the world in a short time (1935-1945). The calculation of the total number of these camps differs quite large depending on the criteria of their classification (large, medium and small, major and regional, central and peripheral). By March 1944, Third Reich had 22 large concentration camps and 165 labor camps, according to one source. Another said it was far higher, especially with 58 main and 958 branch camps, for a total of 1,016. That said, having the number isn’t the most important thing. However, what is most important is that most of these camps were transformed by Nazis into a true ‘‘death factories’’ in which around 11 million people found their deaths, including six million Jews. One of many Nazi concentration camps stood out. This was Sachsenhausen concentration camp.
In the summer of 1936 the concentration camp of Sachenhausen was opened, during which Sassenhausen was reserved for ‘political prisoners from the Ems area, some 30 to 40 km from Berlin.’ After the camp opened it became a training ground for SS Division officers. This was central place in Nazi Germany’s security structure.
Beginning some years before the war, prisoners from many other stations were sent to build and furnish the Sachsenhausen completely. When the camp capacity was enlarged, manpower worked in war industries. In Sachsenhausen certain information has it so the 10 000 people daily were sent to work at factories. The front door to the camp read work liberates, almost a mandatory label on almost all Nazi ‘death factories.’
The camp’s equipment was very good at a very high level, a few metres thick outer wall of the camp with electrical barbed wire and the guards working on the camp around the camp were non stop, assisted by the watch dogs. In practical terms escape from this death camp was almost impossible, but some managed to find the way to slip out.
In these camps, there are many evidences of torture done. Apart from continuous mental torture, there were many cases of systemically physical abuse leading to a collapse and death among the prisoners. The documents confirmed the prisoners were killed in gas chambers, according to reports. There were occasions of narcotizing prisoners in order to subject them to some experiment or observation of their mental and physical response. But was meant to increase a soldier’s performance and capabilities when administered to German soldiers to see what would happen.
About 200 000 prisoners went through the camp. When the Soviets entered the war prisoners came from the Eastern Front, the majority of whom were sent to this camp. About 10 percent were women, and during the incensed torture of about 30 000 people who died here, more than half were Soviet soldiers.
This camp had several notable individuals spend time during World War II. Some of them were: Yakov Dzhugashvili son of Iosif Vissarionovich Stalin, Francisco Largo Caballero, Georg Elser who tried to kill Adolf Hitler, Trygve Bratteli ,Prime minister of the Kingdom of Norway , et al.
The site of the infamous Sachsenhausen concentration camp is now open to public as a museum to the victims of Nazi insanity.
Attendees can see Sacsenhausen on The Original Berlin Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour.
Thank you for your interest. If you want to really understand Berlin’s history, then be sure to come on our Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour. It is this somber reminder of past and to the memories of those who suffered. We look forward to being on this important journey with you soon.