Recently Viewed
Concentration Camp Sachsenhausen train&walk (6h)
5.0
1 Rating
Berlin
Explore Sachsenhausen’s dark history on a private 6-hour tour. Uncover Nazi terror, visit authentic sites, and delve into the psychology of atrocities.
Duration:
6 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Stiftung Neue Synagoge Berlin - Centrum Judaicum - Discover an incredible building located in the heart of Berlin’s former Jewish quarter. Constructed during the formation of the German Empire, it symbolizes the granting of full citizenship rights to Jewish people after their participation in the Franco-German War of 1870/71. Marvel at the stunning yet exotic Moorish architecture and uncover the story behind it. Learn about the diverse Jewish life in Berlin during the 1920s. Understand how Germany’s largest synagogue survived the November Pogroms of 1938, thanks to a courageous Prussian policeman who upheld the law over a dictator’s orders. We will continue this somber history at the memorial site in the barracks, discussing the escalating Nazi atrocities against Jewish people that culminated in the murder of 6 million individuals in death camps like Auschwitz.
- Oranienburg - After a 45-minute train ride, we arrive in Oranienburg, retracing the steps of the inmates. We will discuss Hitler’s rise to power and the establishment of the first “wild camps” near major cities, initially housing mostly political opponents as the Nazis focused on consolidating power. We will explore how visible the inmates were in the town, forced into slave labor at numerous sites and often marching daily between the camp and their work locations. This typical German small town, with its significant industrial presence, greatly benefited from this forced labor. Following the Night of the Long Knives in 1934, the SS took control from the SA, and many SS men settled in the town. Learn about the unusual heavy air bombing of the site by US bombers in the final weeks of the war.
- Oranienburg - At Bernauer Strasse, we will visit the war memorial and learn about the Soviet army’s Battle of Berlin, which led to the liberation of the camp as they advanced towards the city’s outskirts. We will discuss the camp’s final days, the death marches, and the immediate aftermath for the former inmates.
- Oranienburg - We will pass by some remaining SS villas, part of a settlement created around the concentration camp. Discover how the SS rewarded their members with career advancements and wealth. In front of the T-building, we will discuss the SS (Schutzstaffel) under the notorious interior minister Heinrich Himmler, who saw themselves as an elite force carrying out “necessary evil.” Learn about the ideological and psychological manipulation that turned men into monsters. This building was the epicenter of evil, serving as the inspectorate for all concentration camps. We will explain the significance of the Sachsenhausen concentration camp in terms of administration.
- Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen - At the memorial site, we will get an overview of the camp’s expansion over nine years using a large map. Learn about the inmates’ experiences upon arrival. In Tower A, gain insight into the perpetrators’ perspective. Passing through the infamous “Arbeit macht frei” gate, we enter the roll call square to discuss daily camp life. In the reconstructed “Jewish” barrack, imagine the conditions in an overcrowded wooden structure. In front of the former GDR memorial, we will discuss the culture of remembrance and raising awareness. Station Z corresponds with Tower A, where the SS executed thousands in the shooting trench and neck shooting system. See the remaining four crematory ovens. At the former infirmary barracks, we will discuss euthanasia and medical experiments. Finally, we will talk about the long struggle of German society to fully acknowledge this history, sharing stories of former victims and perpetrators.
What's Included
- All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
- Lunch
- Public transport - you need an ABC ticket. Recommended is a 24 hour option. Sums up max 10 € p.p.
Additional Information
We delve deep into the psychology of Nazi terror. See how atrocities developed from bad to worst in only 9 years. The system of concentration camps changed from protective custody via slave labour up to the “final solution” death camps. 3,000 inmates had to build this model camp in the forest during the Berlin Olympic Games 36. The camp’s architecture is a manifest for the SS’s omnipotent power over their victims. This camp hosted the overall administration for more than 1,000 camps. We visit authentic barracks, the death “Station Z” as well as the medical research facilities of the “sick barracks.” We talk about remembrance culture and societal learning in the mirror of the times, about the SS as an organization of a terrorist “elite,” about perpetrators and victims. The tour is characterized by a high density of information. We talk about different storylines that happened here simultaneously. Our guides have the official certification of the memorial site.
- Please note: we will do a trainride of 30 km (45 minutes) to the town Oranienburg. You need ABC tickets (not included) from lokal public transport company “BVG”. Best option is often the 24 hour mini group ticket. On the site we will walk about 4-5 km.
Location
Oranienburger Straße
MP is at the corner Oranienburger Strasse / Tucholskystrasse. Directly beside S-Bahn (S1, S2 - check BVG) exit "Oranienburger Strasse". In front of an impressing brick building (former imperial post office).
The guide will be waiting with a very large umbrella in rainbow colors.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(1 Rating)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Karladu7368lb
Apr 12, 2024
Learn a lot - I booked the private tour with friends. It was our first time in a concentration camp. Jörg did a great job and we were able to ask all the questions we had. Everything went smoothly and we learned a lot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor