Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial, Memorial and museum in Oranienburg, Germany.
Sachsenhausen is a memorial and museum complex in Oranienburg that occupies the site of the former Nazi concentration camp. The grounds contain permanent exhibitions presented across multiple buildings and outdoor areas, alongside preserved structures that visitors walk through to understand the conditions people faced.
The site was founded in 1936 as a concentration facility that imprisoned over 200,000 people throughout the Nazi period. The camp became a place where thousands died from starvation, disease, and systematic killings, making it central to the history of Nazi persecution.
The site serves as a space where visitors confront the realities of imprisonment through the physical layout of barracks, work areas, and memorial installations. People come here to honor those who suffered and to understand the experiences documented through surviving artifacts and personal testimonies.
Entry to the memorial is free and audio guides are available in several languages for self-guided exploration of the grounds. Guided tours are offered but require advance planning, so it is helpful to contact the site beforehand if you want organized interpretation.
The camp housed Operation Bernhard, a secretive scheme where imprisoned craftspeople were forced to produce counterfeit British currency. This lesser-known chapter reveals how the regime attempted to undermine Allied economies through forced labor in unexpected ways.
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