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On the Entrance Gate, the iron reads "Arbeit Macht Frei" or "Work sets you free".
The Sachsenhausen Camp was the second camp constructed by the Nazi's in the 1930's. The first was Dachau near Munich, but Sachsenhausen served as a different camp than most. When people hear concentration camps or forced labor camps they automatically think of the Nazi extermination of the Jews. This is true for many of the camps, but this was not the reason for the construction of this camp. This was mostly a political camp, although as the war went on it also held and murdered many Jews. Although it was a political camp the prisoners were still treated less than human, starved, beaten, and forced to help the Nazi cause in which ever way they were told. Many of the first prisoners here were Nazi political opponents and harsh criminals, then more homosexuals, gypsies, and then eventually many jews.
This camp is also unique in that after the liberation of the camps, this one was still maintained by the Soviets as a prison and an armery. At the memorial you can see how the camp started in the early 30's, then how it grew through the war, and then grew further under Soviet control. Before entering, our guide showed us the areas on the large camp footprint.
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The washroom...
The toilets...
Other inmates in other barracks were allowed to sleep in beds if they were important enough. Three people shared each layer of each bunk and these were the lucky ones.
The camp also had a prison that held very important prisoners. These would include Allied troops that were captured or important political people that the Nazi's feared might be killed in the camp by mistake. One of these people was Stalin's illegitimate son, who eventually killed himself there. These prisoners were regularly beaten and tortured by horrible means. The next photo is on one of those torture tactics with a footprint of the prison behind it.
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On the opposite side of Tower A, there is a taller tower that was built as a memorial to the defeat of fascism.
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At the edge of the camp is Station Z and other similar areas like the one below. The execution by firing range was considered to be honorable, so only military and political leaders were murdered here...everyone else was killed at Station Z.
On the way to Station Z, there are many memorials to the places where the ashes from prisoners were placed into giant pits. These pits are now marked by greenspace and other materials.
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What there is left of Station Z is now covered to preserve the ruins. Station Z included a gas chamber, exam room, and a crematorium. Here is the memorial overlooking the ruins.
And sadly, the ovens or what is left of them.
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On the opposite side of Tower A, there is a taller tower that was built as a memorial to the defeat of fascism.
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At the edge of the camp is Station Z and other similar areas like the one below. The execution by firing range was considered to be honorable, so only military and political leaders were murdered here...everyone else was killed at Station Z.
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What there is left of Station Z is now covered to preserve the ruins. Station Z included a gas chamber, exam room, and a crematorium. Here is the memorial overlooking the ruins.
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Clearly a sobering experience, but certainly an important one. I never could understand why some people believe that none of this ever happened, and now I am truly confused as the evidence exists at many of these camps. This camp in particular really puts into perspective how many different groups of people were pursicuted as the hands of Hilter and the Nazi's.
Enough sad remembrance for today. Tomorrow is Poland!
Auf Wiedersehen.
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