Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

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Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

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Sachsenhausen was established in 1936 on the outskirts of Oranienburg, around 22 miles (35 km) north of Berlin, and became one of the first purpose-built concentration camps of the Nazi regime. Designed as a model camp, its triangular layout and administrative structure were later used as a blueprint for camps across occupied Europe. Between its founding and liberation by Soviet forces in April 1945, tens of thousands of people were imprisoned here, including political opponents, Jews, Soviet prisoners of war, and others persecuted under Nazi rule. An estimated 30,000 people died at Sachsenhausen through execution, forced labor, starvation, and medical experimentation.

After World War II, the site was repurposed by Soviet forces as Special Camp No. 7, where thousands more died under Soviet internment until 1950. This layered history, Nazi and Soviet, makes Sachsenhausen one of the more complex memorial sites in Germany. It was opened as a memorial and museum in 1961.

What to See

The memorial covers a large open-air site with several permanent exhibition spaces. The reconstructed prisoner barracks give a direct sense of the living conditions inmates endured, while the infirmary barrack documents the medical crimes carried out on prisoners. The Station Z area, at the rear of the camp, marks the site of the execution trench and crematorium, and is one of the most significant and sobering parts of the visit. A separate exhibition covers the Soviet Special Camp period, which is often less well known but equally important to the site's history.

The Appellplatz, or roll-call square, remains largely intact and helps visitors understand the spatial logic of the camp and the daily routines of terror that governed life inside it. Interpretive panels throughout the site are available in multiple languages.

What to Know Before You Visit

Sachsenhausen is a memorial site, and the visit requires time and emotional preparation. Most visitors spend between two and four hours on site, and trying to rush it does a disservice to what the place represents. Wear comfortable shoes, as the grounds are extensive and largely uncovered.

The site is open year-round, though opening hours vary by season. Entry to the main memorial is free, though some exhibition buildings may have separate conditions. Guided tours are available and are strongly recommended for first-time visitors, since a knowledgeable guide provides context that panels alone cannot fully convey. Check the individual listing on Civitatis for current availability and departure details before you go.

Other interesting attractions in Berlin

The Reichstag
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