Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, Oranienburg near Berlin

Approaching the Camp

SACHSENHAUSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP

This is a labour camp from the Nazi Regime closest to the City of Berlin, set up in 1938 at the fringe of the Town of Oranienburg in Bradenburg Region. Initially only Political Prisoners were sent to this Camp. Later Jews and War-prisoners were also sent. Later a Gas-Chamber was added for mass-extermination. At the end of the World War II, Russian Soldiers occupied the Camp and operated it for Nazi Prisoners.  

'Labour will make you free'

Life of a prisoner: from Watch Tower-A to Station-Z

The prisoners used to enter the Camp through a building named ‘Watch Tower A’. They were stripped off their clothes and made to stand in a queue outside the Gate. One who appeared to be too smart to the SS Guards by asking too many questions, were taken up to the first floor of the Watch Tower, and beaten harshly. This was how the inmates learnt their first lesson: “Not to dare to ask questions to a SS Guard”. Inmates were given a bath, and a splash of disinfectant powder. White and blue stripped shirt and pyajama, a jacket and a hat were provided to them. A prisoner was identified only by the ‘number’ stitched on his shirt. He had to carry a triangle-shaped coloured badge identifying the category of crime; red for political prisoners from Communist Party, blue for those from Socialist Democratic Party, Yellow for Jews, Pink for homosexuals, a star made of a yellow and red triangle identifying a Jewish prisoner who is a Communist. 

Bunker-beds: 3 on a tier

 Around 400 inmates were put in a Barrack with bunk-beds in three-tiers. There were 30 such cells in the Camp. They started a day at 4am in summer and 5am in winter. They were given an hour to get ready before they assemble in front of the Watch Tower A for counting. But by this hour, they had to go to toilets and have breakfast which was difficult as there was a huge crisis- a shared toilet with around 15 WCs and only 2 washing areas for 400 inmates. During the day they were made to work in brick-klins, metal-workshops. At times they were made to running around the field wearing a newly developed shoe, so as to test the toughness of its sole. At the end of the day, they had to assemble in front of the Watch Tower A. If any inmate was missing, the whole respective barrack was made to stand in the assembly ground until he is found-dead or alive. There was also a jail for political prisoners with a cell to each inmate. There was never any prisoner-protest or uprising in the history of Sachsenhausen Camp.

Crematorium, 'Station-Z'

Mass extermination: Station-Z

The war-prisoners from Russia were sent to this Camp. The old Communist prisoners of the Camp started to find a way out to help these Russian Soldiers. Thus, the SS Guards decided to exterminate the Russian soldiers in masses. Initially, prisoners were directly shot. But, this was painful and tiring for the SS Guard who was firing the gun. Thus, SS found a new method of extermination. The prisoners were told that they will be taken to a new camp. However, there were cheated and brought to Station-Z at an end of the Sachsenhausen Camp itself. Here, in the disguise of carrying a medical check-up, one by one they were made to enter a sound-proof room. Each one was asked to stand in front of a wall so as to measure his height. However, the wall had a hole, and a SS Guard was ready with a gun on the other side of the wall. Thus, it was not more painful for the SS Guard as he was unable to the see the dying prisoner. Later, SS Guards came up with the idea of a Gas Chamber. Sachsenhausen Camp only had a small gas-chamber. Other prisoners were made to carry the dead-bodies to the crematorium, finally to dump the ashes into a pit.

 

Memorial Column

Memorial to Sachsenhausen Camp

(From left) Memorial; Sculpture showing a Russian soldier liberating the prisoners (ironically, the prisoners look to be quite healthy)

After the end of the War, this camp was under the Soviet Occupation. During the GDR Regime, the Soviet leaders erected a memorial Column to commemorate the prisoners. However, the Column carries red-triangles, symbolizing only the communist prisoners in a biased manner.

 (After coming back from the Camp, watching the Spielberg movie 'Schindler's List' turned out to be a lot more meaningful and real.)

Note: This 6-hour trip was guided by Dennis Behnke on behalf of ‘Vive Berlin’ Tour Organising Company. Dennis is a Berliner; studying History and German Language at Potsdam University. This trip is made daily on ‘tip-only basis’ as ‘Vive Berlin’ believes that everyone should make a visit to Sachsenhausen Camp so that they may feel the tragedy.  Meeting at 10 am in front of ‘Balzac Coffee’ at Postdamer Platz; S1 to Oranienburg (30 mins.); a 20 min. walk from Station to the Camp.