While in Berlin, I decided to visit the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp in nearby Oranienburg. It sure is not the size of Auschwitz, but it still brings enough chill to your spine. Just approaching the gate and read Arbeit macht frei, you feel the sadness and the need to take a deep breath. Being so quiet just magnified the whole atmosphere. The camp is basically a large square/field surrounded by brick walls with guard towers. Within the walls are the roll call area, execution trench, gallows and buildings containing prisoners’ quarters, infirmary, crematorium, armoury, camp guards housing, command headquarters, a prison, and even more. In other words you get to see it all, all the horror.
Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg is located a 20 minute train ride from downtown Berlin, and a short bus ride from the train station in Oranienburg. It might not be instantly clear which bus to get on, but if you give it a minute you’ll figure it out. If not, there are others going the same way 🙂 Getting off the bus you’ll find yourself in a residential area. Just head for the huuuge sign saying Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen.
Website: sachsenhausen-sbg.de
This is the second holocaust post to be linked up with Farawayfiles this week and it’s still so horrifying to read about it every time. But like Hilary said, important to remember so it never happens again. Thanks for linking up with #farawayfiles
Ah, I didn’t notice that. Well, then we’re two to remind you 😀
Just seeing these photos gives me the chills. Still, it’s so important to keep the horror of what happened in these places fresh in our minds, so history doesn’t repeat itself… Thank you for sharing on #farawayfiles
It’s just sad, but important. Hopefully we learn, at least most of us do.