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

Unveiling the Horrors: A Guide to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Tour from Berlin

by | Oct 22, 2024 | Sachsenhausen

The Significance of Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, located just outside Berlin, is a haunting reminder of one of the darkest chapters in human history. Built by the Nazis in 1936, it operated for over a decade until its liberation in 1945. Today, the camp has been transformed into a memorial and museum, offering visitors a chance to learn about the atrocities committed during the Holocaust and pay tribute to the victims.

Plan Your Trip

Sachsenhausen is one of the most awful concentration camps, when taking a tour from Berlin, it is still shocking. One should ensure that time is well utilized when traveling so that proper use of the time is done.

Getting There

To reach Sachsenhausen from Berlin, you have several transportation options:

Train: Travel by the S1 line from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station and alight at Oranienburg. It is only a bus drive or even a twenty-minute-walk to the camp from there.

Guided Tour: Numerous operators still exist that organize such day excursions to Sachsenhausen and offer to transport the client there and explain all the sights on the trip.

Self-Drive: Although it is easier by train, you can of course drive your own car in Berlin and look for direction to Sachsenhausen. There is some parking near the camp.

Train: The central station is the Hauptbahnhof in Berlin; take the S1 train and alight at Oranienburg. From there, it is about twenty minutes by bus or a brisk twenty-minute walk to the camp.

Train:

Guided Tour: Basically, numerous companies in Berlin organize tours to Sachsenhausen where tourists get a transportation and a guide.

Guided Tour:

Self-Drive: If however driving is your option then you can hire a car in Berlin and follow the directions the signs leading to Sachsenhausen. There is invariably parking space about the camp.

Self-Drive:

Opening Hours and Admission

Sachsenhausen is open throughout the year with slightly flexible schedule as follows depends on season. Of course, the best way to find out the schedule is to visit the website of the theater more detailed. Visiting the site is open for free, however, visitors are advised to make donations in order to maintain the site.

Tips for Visiting

Here are a few tips to enhance your visit to Sachsenhausen:

Allow Sufficient Time: They should be able to allocate a minimum of half a day for the camp as well as its displays. It could be very big and it should be actually taken time to reason and consider the history behind the site.

Wear Comfortable Shoes: These camp sites are large, therefore one should be ready to do a lot of walking. Comfortable shoes are a must.

Take a Guided Tour: If you want, you can go on an organised tour, this could be with a group or, for a higher fee, a personal guide. Tour guides give useful information and prevent you from missing something important at the site.

Respectful Behavior: Sachsenhausen is both a museum and a memorial. Do not litter around, Getting too close or touching the bodies or showing disrespect for the remains or the other visitors.

Bring water and snacks: Bear in mind that there are not so many opportunities to buy food and beverages within the camp area, so travelers should take their water and snacks with them.

Allow Sufficient Time: Altoa recommend setting aside at least half a day to move around the camp and check out the displays. It’s a fairly big place and just walking around, admiring the place and thinking about what happened, is necessary.

Allow Sufficient Time:

Wear Comfortable Shoes: The areas where the camp grounds are are vast therefore expect to do a lot of walking. Comfortable shoes are a must.

Wear Comfortable Shoes:

Take a Guided Tour: It is especially useful to think about the guided tour, either with companions, or with a personal guide. Guides explain and make sure you do not miss some important points as you tour the sites.

Take a Guided Tour:

Respectful Behavior: Sachsenhausen is a memorial site. Refrain from loud talking and laughing as a way of honoring the victims and out of respect to the visitors you are escorted around by the guide.

Respectful Behavior:

Bring water and snacks: It is quite hard to find eateries within the camp so it is wise to carry some water and some small chucks of food all through the activity.

Bring water and snacks:

Exploring the Memorial Site

When visiting the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp you are indeed immediately taken to the historical era of the Second World War. The location of the site is divided into different zones of which each has its function in the entire camp.

The Main Camp

There are several structures within the main camp area with the primary building featuring the notorious sign- Arbeit Macht Frei –translated to Work Sets You Free . This sarcastic motto posted at the entrance of the camp told prisoners lies of hope when they entered the camp.

Out on your travels you will find the barracks, watch towers, and the Appellplatz which is the roll call square where prisoners were forced to stand for hours in any type of whether. This area of the exhibition offers specifics focused on history and the lives of the victims; in particular, they show you the life of people within the camp.

Special Prisoner Camps

There were other sub camps for prisoners of a particular category; the political prisoners, the homosexuals and the Jehovah witnesses within Sachsenhausen. Both of these camps have a different history and both show the sufferings of such persecuted people.

Another characteristic feature is the Stalinist architecture of the murderous complex; the station Z area where the gassing chamber was located and the crematorium. In this place you feel that one is overcome with the death of hundreds of thousands and the very savageness of the Nazis.

The Path of Remembrance

The Path of Remembrance outlines the entire camp area and brings visitors to important sites and monuments with its help. Memorial stones, plaques and sculptures are also placed at different points along the trail that symbolically demonstrate a facets of the camps experience and the hardships of the prisoners.

This is a slow moving path where one can read inscription and digest the significance of the holocaust. It is a stark lesson in humanity and why it is necessary not only to enlighten ourselves but also to promote human equality in the present world.

Reflecting on the Experience

A tour of Sachsenhausen is necessarily a grim and disturbing experience. Most important, it requires time to think about the argument afterward or to ponder over the further development of emotions.

This is a good time to join a group discussion, to turn to one’s close ones, or to cry on paper or canvas. Participation in these activities could extend the knowledge reinforcement of concepts discussed during diversity trainings; and elicit participation against prejudice and human rights abuses.

So it is important to remember why we visit Sachsenhausen, it is to remember the history but also to learn from mistakes and lead better lives ourselves as well as help others do the same. So, only by accepting and knowing history for what it is, we can create a more inclusive future for all.

Conclusion

A trip to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp from Berlin is an opportunity to pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust and deepen our understanding of this tragic period in history. By planning your visit in advance, respecting the memorial site, and taking time to reflect afterward, you can ensure a meaningful and impactful experience that honors the memory of those who suffered.

Remember, our collective responsibility lies in ensuring that atrocities like those committed during the Holocaust never happen again. Sachsenhausen serves as a stark reminder of the importance of promoting tolerance, inclusivity, and standing up against hate in all its forms.

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