Orte der Erinnerung 1933 - 1945

Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum

In 1936, the SS constructed the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp on the outskirts of Oranienburg. Sachsenhausen adopted a special position in the concentration camp system as a model camp in close proximity to Berlin. The SS administration centre for all concentration camps was also located here. Until 1945, more than 200,000 people from all over Europe were imprisoned in Sachsenhausen; tens of thousands died from hunger, sickness, forced labour and abuse, or were victims of systematic extermination. Around 3,000 prisoners who remained in the camp were freed on the 22nd and 23rd of April, 1945 by Soviet and Polish soldiers.

In the main area of the former concentration camp, there was a Soviet Special Camp called No. 7/No. 1 from 1945 to 1950. 60,000 people were imprisoned in these barracks by the Soviet Secret Service; around 12,000 of them died of hunger and sickness.

In 1961, the Sachsenhausen Memorial Site was opened and has been a part of the Brandenburg Memorial Sites Foundation since 1993. Since 2006, the international Youth Exchange Site “Haus Szczypiorski” has been available for educational events taking place over several days.

At the moment, there are 10 permanent exhibitions covering diverse aspects of the historical location (Jewish Prisoners, The Prisoners’ “Daily Life”, Medical Care and Crimes, Murder and Mass Murder, City and Camp, Oranienburg Concentration Camp, History of the Memorial Site, Soviet Special Camp), special exhibitions.

Address and Hours of Operation

Gedenkstätte und Museum Sachsenhausen (Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum)

Straße der Nationen 22
D-16515 Oranienburg

Tel. +49-(0)3301-200-0
Visitor Services/Registration: +49-(0)3301-200-200
Fax: +49-(0)3301-200-201
Archive: 03301/200-300
Library: 03301/200-301

Email: besucherdienst(at)gedenkstaette-sachsenhausen.de
Internet: www.gedenkstaette-sachsenhausen.de

Opening times

March 15th to October 14th: daily from 8:30-6pm

October 15th to March 14th: daily from 8:30-4:30pm

On Mondays, the museums, the archive and the library are closed. The open air exhibition “Murder and Mass Murder in the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp”, the memorial site “Station Z” as well as the visitors’ information centre are open.

Archive and Library: Tuesday through Friday from 9:00-3:30pm

Price of Entry

Entry is free

There is a fee for educational services.

Group tours/project days for a maximum of 15 people: 15 euros
Group tours/project days for a maximum of 30 people: 25 euros
Tours in foreign languages will cost an additional 25 euros.

Directions (from downtown Berlin)

Train:

Regional train RE 5 from Berlin’s Central Station (Hauptbahnhof) to Oranienburg train station (25 minutes train ride from Berlin’s Central Station)
Rapid Transit System “S-Bahn”-Line S 1 (Wannsee-Oranienburg) to Oranienburg train station (End station; 50 minutes train ride from Berlin’s Friedrichstraße station)
Regional train RB 12 from Berlin-Lichtenberg to Oranienburg station (duration: 30 min.)
Bus line 804 (leaving every hour) going towards Malz to the Memorial Site from the station’s forecourt or follow the signs by foot (20 min.)

Car/Bus:

Berliner Ring (A 10) to the Birkenwerder exit; drive towards Oranienburg and then follow the signs leading to the Memorial Site
Almost all museums and exhibitions are wheelchair accessible.