Germany has a complex history, and part of that history is undoubtedly the concentration camps that were built during World War II. These sites hold massive historical significance and visiting them can be an educational and emotional experience. If you are interested in learning about concentration camps and their impact, here are some historically significant sites near Berlin that you can visit.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
The Berlin Wall was emerging gradually across the night of August 12 in 1961, and still many citizens did not expect it. It was under the rule of the GDR – the German Democratic Republic – that construction began overnight without any prior consultation. The rather incredible official explanation of why the wall was built was to shield East Germans from West imperialism and to halt east German refugees from emigrating to the West.
Coils of barbs, concrete and metal fencing were at first used to fence the border. Gradually, this informal barrier developed into formal physical barrier which characteristically comprised concrete blocks, watch tower and barbed wire lined check point. The wall was constructed in67/68 and extended for around 155 kilometers (96 miles) completely surrounding West Berlin thus severely bisecting the city geographically and leaving it effectively surrounded by East Germany.
Life During the Berlin Wall
After the construction of the Berlin Wall, people got split from their loved ones and neighbors. In one night people got separated from their friends and families and remained on the wrong side of the wall to their homes, work and classes. They ended up emerging as an icon of the division and the how it translated to the effects of the cold war on common individuals.
To those in East Berlin the wall was a symbol of oppression, a physical barrier that prevented them from going where they wanted to go and acting as they wanted to act due to the policies of the Soviet backed GDR. Any effort to try to flee was punished with arrest, imprisonment and sometimes execution.
That is why in Western Berlin the wall was again a symbol of an ongoing confrontation between communism and democracy. Person in the Western sector saw that they had higher degrees of freedom, more economic opportunities and perks of westernization but witnessed a divided city and the agonizing pain that came with it being a few meters away from their front door.
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a physical barrier built to separate Berlin and the two Germanys for twenty eight years. But as the decade unfolded, other signs started emerging signaling the political change in Eastern Europe. New waves of democracy protests swept through the region, criticizing the Soviet-minded regimes and calling for change.
In East Germany many people grew dissatisfied with the GDR and wanted change; this saw many people protesting in a bid to be free. November 9, 1989 has been fateful day as nobody expected that on this day Berlin Wall would be opened. An official in East Germany made a soviet-style mistake of declaring that people were free to travel across the border. People crowded at the wall, many of them tearing it, rejoicing at the possibility of crossing to the west.
The event the world associate with the break-up of the Cold War was the collapse of the Berlin Wall. The reunion of East and West Germany came soon after, which made progressive destruction of the wall and opening of political liberties for millions.
Conclusion
Visiting concentration camps near Berlin offers a unique opportunity to learn about a dark chapter in human history. Sachsenhausen, Ravensbrück, and Oranienburg concentration camps provide a glimpse into the atrocities committed during the Holocaust. Remember to approach these sites with sensitivity and respect, keeping in mind the importance of education and remembrance.
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