Tour Itinerary
The tour reveals the extent of human suffering, with many examples of heroism and defiance by prisoners.
While the Nazis were hosting the 1936 Olympic games, slave labourers were being forced to build a huge new concentration camp just north of Berlin, intended to hold political opponents of the regime. Soon homosexuals, trade unionists and members of religious groups swelled the prisoner ranks.
Following Kristallnacht in 1938, thousands of Jews were sent to the camp where they faced especially brutal treatment.
Thousands of Soviet POWs were murdered immediately after arriving at Sachsenhausen in 1941, and it is estimated that over 50,000 people died here before the camp was liberated by the
Soviets in 1945. The camp was then used by the
"liberators" until 1950 to detain former Nazis,
German soldiers and political opponents of the communists. Many thousands more died from malnutrition and disease.
On this guided tour, we explain:
· Sachsenhausen's place in the concentration camp system and describe how and why the Nazis built
that system
· the post-war history of the camp
· how this history is dealt with today in Germany and how Neo-nazism connects to this history...
and we guide you to the following inside the camp: the entrance building, Tower A, bearing the ironic description "Arbeit Macht Frei"; the "Appellplatz" or parade ground; the punishment cells; the execution grounds and crematorium "Station Z"; the Jewish Barrack (with time to visit inside); the Pathology Laboratory; and to many different memorials to the victims.
13 YEARS AND YOUNGER: Children 13 years of age and younger can take this tour for FREE! There is no need to book a ticket for them when they come on the tour along with their parents.
1) Duration: c. 5-6 hours from Meeting Point West. We use public transport on this tour (S-Bahn or Regional Express to Oranienburg); bring a valid rail pass or buy your own ticket in advance (note that the memorial is in Zone C). You can also buy a public transport ticket from the guide (€ 5.60) at the meeting point.
2) There are no refreshments available at the memorial and we advise you to bring food and drink to eat on the train. There are many places at Zoo Station selling food and drink and there is also a shop at Oranienburg Station for the return journey.
Please arrive in good time because we have to catch a train!
