Introduction
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp near Berlin was once used as the sobbing reminder of the horrors of World War II. Paying respects to the victims and learning more about this tragic part of history is really about visiting the camp. With this comprehensive guide, you will walk the Berlin to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp journey, and learn a great deal; enough to make your visit both meaningful and educational.
Getting There: From Berlin to Sachsenhausen.
Sachsenhausen is on the way from Berlin. Taking a train to travel is the most convenient way. The journey is about 45 minutes long and available as a fast ticket to a historical address away from the crude environment of the city. Follow these steps to plan your trip:
Step 1: Departing from Berlin
Go from one of Berlin’s biggest train stations such as Berlin Hauptbahnhof or Friedrichstraße. These stations have good connectivity to places like Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp too. The trains that travel towards Oranienburg, closest town to the camp.
Step 2: Ticket Purchase
When you get off the train station, look for the ticket counter or ticket machine(s). Buy a ticket to Oranienburg. You can expect the schedules to vary with time of year and day of the week, so it is advised to check them in advance. Tickets are also bought online as well as at the station.
Step 3: Boarding the Train
Then, go to the platform for Oranienburg bound trains and then obtain your ticket. Snow check, validate your ticket before you board the train. Once onboard, there’s no rush to do anything other than find a seat and relax as you embark on a journey through time.
Arriving at Sachsenhausen
The next step is to get to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp which is about 2.5 kilometers from Oranienburg upon arrival. You have a few options:
By Foot
If you’ve got a little time on your hands and the weather is nice make it up to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp from the Oranienburg train station. The walk is a lovely 30minute walk through the town that gives you the chance to see the local atmosphere.
By Bus
Oranienburg to the camp can also be reached by bus. Bus lines 804 and 821 are regular services between Oranienburg and Sachsenhausen. Get the timing check from the station or a journey planner app.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp explored
It is now time you come here to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, but approaching it with respect and with sensitivity. It is a camp, a memorial site, and a place of remembrance. Here are a few key areas to explore:
The Appellplatz
Get your adventure underway from Appellplatz, roll call square for prisoners countless times a day. The conditions held prisoners in the camp endured were unrelenting and fierce, and it is a reminder.
The Monument and Museum
Then visit the Sachsenhausen Memorial Museum inside the former camp grounds. Informative exhibits explaining the camp’s history, the life and death of the prisoners, and the liberation. Deepening your understanding of the Holocaust, it’s a crucial resource.
The Barracks
Travel through camp’s barracks that once served as the jail for thousands of prisoners. Taking you to these barracks tells the story of inmate living and is a haunting story about their suffering.
The Crematorium
Close to the camp’s entrance, the crematorium, a countless number of victims of Sachsenhausen were subjected to their grim fate. Stop to think about the huge amount of loss and tragedy that had happened within these walls.
Final Thoughts
A visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp deepens our knowledge of past history and teaches us to honor the victims of these concentration camps. This guide will help you make both a respectful and, more importantly, an enlightened visit to Sachsenhausen, navigation from Berlin to Sachsenhausen was never easier. Remember to stroke the site with caution (because of the many lives lost). Bring back the views and feelings from your visit and leave a resolve to contribute to peace and tolerance, human rights and understand the ideas of equality.
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