Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour

When: Every day at 10am
Where: The meeting point is in front of Generator Berlin Alexanderplatz, Otto-Braun-Straße 65, 10178 Berlin
Price: €19,00 Per Person

The Dark History: Dachau Concentration Camp – Munich’s Closest Tragedy

by | Oct 22, 2024 | Sachsenhausen

Introduction

Munich is the capital city of Bavaria, Germany and it enjoys a fascinating history, cultural activity, beautiful buildings and beautiful landscapes. However, it should be noted that being inspired by the impeccable view of the city the spectator should not lose sight of the fact that many ugly episodes of history were implemented on its background. Of these chapters, the most unforgetting is that of the Dachau Concentration Camp.

The Dachau Concentration Camp

Established on 22 nd of March 1933, the Dachau Concentration Camp was the first camp of what can be termed as genocides carried out by Adolf Hitler’s government in Germany. Only ten miles northwest of Munich, Dachau, the first permanent concentration camp, was created by the Nazis.

Historical Context

After the Nazi party assumed power in the Germany the populace was witness to increased levels of discriminations against Jews and other races and political persecution. The creation of the first camp, Dachau concentration camp was as a direct product of Hitler’s plan to eliminate political opponents and other people he deemed unfit to live, including Jews, homosexuals, Romani people, and Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Although, established initially as a confined area for detaining political opponents of the Nazis primarily the communism party members, Dachau was later in future used to set standards for other concentration camps. Nevertheless, soon the camp was recreated and joined with other categories of people unwanted by the regime.

The Facilities and Organization of A Camp

The Dachau Concentration Camp consisted of several elements:

The Main Camp: This section was used for offices of administration, a commandant, living quarters of prisoners and employees.

Maintenance Yard: Built opposite the entrance, it was used for several camp chores such as weaving/ embroidering and mending.

Prisoner’s Camp: Separated by the specialization of the camp, prisoners of many nationalities and origins lived in these, frequently crowded and dirty barracks.

Appellplatz: An area that housed prisoners where they even had to parade several times in a day with severe punishments if they announced it wrong.

The Main Camp: This area contained offices of the administrative and the commandants, together with barbed-wired enclosures for prisoners and guards.

The Main Camp:

Maintenance Yard: Situated just to be close to the entrance in the camp it took several functions for the camp such as crafting and repairing.

Maintenance Yard:

Prisoner’s Camp: Separated according to specialization in specific barracks, they held prisoners of nationalities and profiles and often overcrowded and dirty.

Prisoner’s Camp:

Appellplatz: A gathering point where prisoners could be counted several times in a single day, with possible severe penalties for trivial offenses.

Appellplatz:

The facilities at the camp also comprised of work shops, kitchen, hospitals and even a gas chamber looking like a showering area. The disease and hunger, which resulted from the constant oppressions, forced labor, and regular manhandling, inside the camp exterminated over 41, 500 people.

Life in Dachau

The Prisoners

The conditions their endured torture and they were dehumanized and this was evident of the prisoners in Dachau. To so many people it became a daily fight to live as they were subjected to torture both physical and psychological, starvation and diseases.

Soldiers jailed for politics wore prison garb marked by the inverted red triangle; they too were tortured to deny what they believed in and join the Nazis willingly. They threatened people, fined them, beat and killed whom did not give the money to Nazis or was somehow unable to do this.

At the same time, the Jewish prisoners deprived of any distinction were discriminated against and beaten with particular enthusiasm, wearing the notorious Star of David on their chests. Others’ experiences included, segregation, forced labour, and extermination through gassing in chambers.

Resistance and Liberation

Nevertheless, survival and some forms of defiance and fellowship were yielded inside of this province of Dachau. Tops prisoners also for practiced for their secret sodom fight clubs, education circles and criminal prison fellowship underground religious services.

The last phase of the war saw the SS taking thousands of prisoners on a death march from the camp in April 1945 as the Allied closed in on the camp. But the plight of the prisoners in Dachau did not end even in 1945 and to liberated the inmates that was left in the camp, the American troops reached the camp on 29th April 1945.

Remembering the Past

The Dachau Memorial Site

Nowadays the former Dachau Concentration Camp became a memorial and(symbol) of the holocaust. Guests will be able to walk through the restored structures, attend the exhibitions, and lay flowers to the memorial dedicated to the international level.

The goal of the memorial site is to share a thorough history of what happened,provoke thoughts on tolerance, human rights, and the need for maintaining those in order to avoid similar experiences in the future.

Conclusion

The nearest camp to Munich is Dachau that speaks about the holocaust crimes against humanity. Ideally, it makes a viewer recall the worst things that human intolerance and bigotry can contribute to society and motivate people to change for the better.

Visiting the Dachau Memorial Site allows us to honor the memory of the victims and learn from our past. By understanding the horrors of the past, we can work towards a better future, ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.

Thank you for your interest. To truly understand the depth and impact of Berlin's history, we invite you to join our Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour. This visit provides a solemn reminder of the past and pays respect to the memories of those who suffered. We hope to see you soon as we embark on this important journey together.

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Bravery amidst horror
  • Details of camp condition
  • 6 hour tour
  • Informative guides
  • Uncover the truths

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour

When: Every day at 10am
Where: The meeting point is in front of the ehemaliges Kaiserliches Postfuhramt Berlin, Oranienburger Straße, 10117 Berlin, Germany, next to the entrance.
Price: 19,00 Per Person