Never Again – Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

Embark on an exploration of historical significance with our "Never Again" tour at the Sachsenhausen Memorial in Oranienburg. This tour offers visitors insights into the resilience of the city during wartime, revealing its ability to maintain the site undisturbed after significant destruction from bombing raids.

On a quest to delve deeply into the historical tapestry, one embarks upon the Never Again tour at the Sachsenhausen Memorial, situated in the picturesque city of Oranienburg. Guided by the intricate narrative woven throughout the exhibits, one unravels the complex web of events leading up to Hitler's ascension to power, the deliberate choice of this strategic location, and the harrowing legacy of concentration camps.

The visit commences at the visitors' center, where meticulously crafted models illustrate the imposing architecture designed for surveillance and the maintenance of racial hierarchy among inmates. Visitors are then transported to the former SS training camp, now converted into the Brandenburg Police Academy, serving as a poignant testament to the enduring impact of war bombings on the surrounding area.

The tour continues with a guided exploration of the SS troop camp, offering insights into the privileged lives led by officers while prisoners endured unimaginable suffering. The grim reality of female prisoner sex work, often exploited by foreign dignitaries, serves as a haunting reminder of the camp's role in maintaining order and ensuring compliance with Nazi policies.

The "Perpetrators' Room," housed within Tower A, offers a chilling glimpse into the indoctrination process and the portraits of SS leaders, who wielded immense power over their subordinates. The exhibit vividly depicts the brutal practices employed by these individuals, including the systematic exploitation of prisoners and the construction of the notorious shoe test track for "the lowest" categories of detainees.

Exploring the prisoners' barracks and the camp kitchen reveals contemporary neo-Nazis attempting to deny the horrors of the Holocaust. Connections to the present are evident, particularly with the rise of the AfD, a significant far-right movement in Germany.

At Station Z, the mass murders of Soviet prisoners, including child soldiers, are recounted alongside details about the operation of the gas chambers and crematoria, highlighting the extent of human suffering inflicted during the Third Reich regime.

Lastly, the infirmary provides a sobering insight into the intersections of racism, control over women's bodies, eugenics, and the dehumanizing treatment of prisoners as experimental subjects by Nazi physicians. This thorough examination underscores the necessity of confronting the past, understanding the present, and striving for a future free from the atrocities of history.