Introduction
Stunned to its north is the Sachenhausen Concentration Camp, which reminds of an atrocity from World War II. Visiting the camp allows you to pay your respects to the victims and learn a little more about this dark bit of history. From Berlin and through to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, we’ll walk you through the whole experience step by step. It’s a long read, but I think you’ll find it quite useful.
Getting There: A commute from Berlin to Sachsenhausen
It’s easy enough to leave Berlin and get to Sachsenhausen. Travel by the train is the best way to travel. To that trip, it takes about 45 minutes, and what a great way to escape that part of the city and get to a place of historical importance! Follow these steps to plan your trip:
Step 1: Departing from Berlin
From one of the bigger trains stations in Berlin, for example Berlin Hauptbahnhof or Friedrichstraße. It’s at these stations where excellent connectivity operates to and from Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, among other destinations. See what trains are going towards Oranienburg, closest town to the camp.
Step 2: Ticket Purchase
When you’re at the train station, you will see a ticket counter or ticket machine. Buy yourself a ticket to Oranienburg. Train schedules change at different times of year and days of the week and as much as possible; it’s advisable to check them in advance. Remember that you can buy your ticket both online and at the station.
Step 3: Boarding the Train
When you have it, you head for the designated platform for trains going to Oranienburg. Make sure you validate your tick before getting on the train. Once you’re onboard find a seat and take a trip back in time.
Arriving at Sachsenhausen
Once at Oranienburg one then has to complete the route toward Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp some 2.5 kilometers away. You have a few options:
By Foot
If the weather is good and you can spare the time, walk from Oranienburg train station to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. The walk itself is about 30 minutes long and a pretty picturesque walk through the town and a chance for a bit of local atmosphere.
By Bus
Oranienburg to the camp can also be taken by way of a bus. Regular bus lines 804 and 821 run between Oranienburg and Sachsenhausen. The correct times vary, so check the bus schedule at the station, or use a journey planner app, if you have one.
A visit to Sachsenhausen Concentration camp.
Given that you’ve arrived at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp now is the time to approach your visit with sensitivity and respect. Memorial site and place for reflection and remembrance. Here are a few key areas to explore:
The Appellplatz
First take your place at the Appellplatz, roll call square, where prisoners assembled numerous times a day. It’s a grim reminder of what those who were prisoners in the camp had to survive.
The Monument and Museum
Visit the Sachsenhausen Memorial Museum (inside the former camp grounds). Infos about the camp history, prisonners live and also liberation are explained here. This is an important resource if you want to gain greater understanding of the Holocaust.
The Barracks
Take a look around the camp’s barracks, where thousands of prisoners lived. These barracks give us a look at the sort of conditions inmates lived in and a shocking testimony to their suffering.
The Crematorium
The crematorium where thousands of victims of Sachsenhausen ended their gruesome fates is near the camp’s entrance. Think about all that happened in these walls so far.
Final Thoughts
Visiting Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp is a sombre and educational visit which pays respect to the victims and allows learning lessons form the past. By using this guide you can take your visit to Sachsenhausen from Berlin easily and with respect. Remember to show the site respect as you will be showing respect for the lives lost. Use your visit to take the knowledge and the emotions involved and use it to inspire a commitment to peace, tolerance and human rights.
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