Visiting concentration camps can be a meaningful and educational experience, allowing us to remember and learn from the atrocities of the past. If you are near Berlin and would like to visit a concentration camp, there are several notable sites you can explore. In this blog post, we will guide you through the concentration camps near Berlin that are open for visitors.
Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp
- Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, 35 kilometers to North of Berlin is a major historical site in Germany. The camp at Sachsenhausen was built in 1936 as a model to the other camps that were later built. In operation, it held more than 200,000 prisoners. Today it is a memorial and museum giving a view of the horrors of the people incarcerated there.
- Some key features of Sachsenhausen include:
- An original guard tower from which to see camp from the view of the guards.
- It shows the barracks type of building which the prisoners had to suffer in.
- A museum that documents the camp’s history and shows items and stories of survivors.
- Ravensbrück Concentration Camp
- Ravensbrück concentration camp is around 80 kilometers north of Berlin. Camp was at first for women, but later men and children also were there. Between 1939 and 1945 over 130,000 women were imprisoned and forced to work as slaves, undergo painful and absolutely pointless medical experiments, live like animals, and endure abuse unimaginable. Today Ravensbrück honours the memory of the victims and informs visitors of what happened there.
- When visiting Ravensbrück, you can observe:
- Impressive main entrance and camp’s perimeter wall are a recall of oppressive nature of the camp.
- Reconstructed barracks which represent the living conditions the prisoners had to endure.
- Site where victims were cremated, namely the crematorium.
Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück Guided Tours
Guided tours to concentration camps are particularly useful when many visitors want to know what happened there. Sachsenhausen and Ravensbrück offer guided tours by knowledgeable guides that explain the history, real life examples and a lot more.
During guided tours, you can expect to:
Discover the history of the camp including personal stories, events and people tied to the site.
Listen to personal stories from survivors or descendants of former prisoners that put a human face on the experience.
Visiting many parts of the camp to understand throughout the day of life and camp’s infrastructure.
However, if you want to be sure of availability, you are well advised to book guided tours in advance. For tour schedules, contact information and reservation details check the official websites of Sachsenhausen, and Ravensbrück.
Understanding the Importance of Remembering
Visiting the country’s concentration camps near Berlin can be a chance to remember victims and to honour their lives. As it provides us a window to teach ourselves and future generations so we can ensure that such atrocities are never repeated again.
Guided by a sincere interest for these historical sites, wander the grounds and exhibits and remember their meaning. Keep in mind the victims, and the stories they bring us as we make our world a place of compassion, tolerance and understanding.
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