The next day was filled with an equally fascinating, though slightly less colourful activity.
Sachsenhausen was built by prisoners in the summer of 1936, and was the first camp to be established after the appointment of Heinrich Himmier as Chief of the German Police. The complex was designed and laid out by an SS architect as a model for other concentration camps.
More than 200,000 people were imprisoned here between 1936 and 1945. At first it was mostly political opponents, but they were soon joined in ever-increasing numbers by those seen as inferior. Tens of thousands of these prisoners died of starvation, disease, forced labour and maltreatment, or were murdered systematically by the SS. Thousands of other prisoners died on death marches that took place after the evacuation of the camp at the end of April 1945. Around 3,000 prisoners (mostly the sick, but also doctors and assistants who had been left behind) were liberated by Soviet and Polish soldiers on 22/23 April 1945.
Explaining all of this to us, and guiding us around the enormous complex, was Nigel, our awesome Scottish tour guide. As Jade put it "he was a mixture of a grandfather and Stephen Fry!" Not wasting any time before stirring some dirt into the Aussie/Kiwi rivalry wound, he then proceeded to keep things light, but informative and challenging but respectful. A++! Oh and he worked as secret service (or something) behind the Iron Curtain for many years ... meaning he is fluent in Russian AND German. Wow.
The old dog kennels. If the dogs had not been trained in complete obedience by their SS handlers at the end of the training period the handler would have to "dispose" of the dog (by breaking their neck then and there), as such an animal was not worth keeping. At this point I thought to myself "What am I doing here???"
A watch tower at the fence bordering Camp Street. The prisoners were taken into the camp along this street, which separates the Concentration Camp Command Headquarters and the Prisoners' Camp from the grounds of the SS Troop Camp.
The concentration camp complex included a military barracks, where camp guards were trained and housed. Nowadays it is used to train police officers (hence the fence). Nigel was very disapproving of this. He felt that this area should also be part of the memorial, especially considering what it represented.
This was the mess hall for the guards. It was called the 'Green Monster' because it was so badly built. It was built by prisoners with no building experience (but it was better to claim to have skills, as skilled labour provided better chances in such an environment). Apparently serving here was the worst duty a prisoner could get. It was all starving prisoners could do to resist stealing food off the plates in front of them, and the torture of watching the SS feed food to their dogs when they didn't have anything to eat was more than some could take. If a prisoner did succumb to this mental torture, they would be shot.
The entrance to Command Headquarters and Prisoners' Camp. The entrance stands exactly on the central axis of the camp. This is where the prisoners would enter.
The original gate.
I stole this photo from Jade (who takes far better ones than me and my wee iPhone!!)
Another delightful mean of torture - prisoners would be strapped to this and forced to pull it across the ground without stopping. This meant that if another prisoner fell, you must carry on, and they would subsequently be crushed to death by the roller.
The roller sits in the Roll Call Area, a semi-circular space where prisoners had to assemble three times a day (initially, twice later on), in the morning and evening - often suffering for hours in the rain and cold. This was also where the gallows stood and where prisoners were executed in front of their assembled comrades, to serve as a deterrent. If you were caught not watching you too would be hung. At Christmas the SS had a Christmas tree put up next to the gallows. How very thoughtful of them.
The Security System consisted of a death strip, an electric fence, and a camp wall. If you walked into the death strip you would be shot either by the guards patrolling between the electric fence and the wall, or by those in the guard towers above. Prisoners were known to throw themselves onto the electric fence as it was seen as an easier way out than most of the alternatives that awaited them.
The Shoe-Testing Track - this had a variety of surfaces and was laid out in 1940. Prisoners in the punishment squad had to march round it endlessly (while carrying laden backpacks) to test material for the soles of army boots.
This plaque shows that this space was designed to hold 250 prisoners, but more than 500 were kept in this barrack.
Prisoners were only allowed to use the toilets in the mornings and evenings after roll call (occasionally during the midday break) for a few minutes. If sick, weakened or older prisoners fell in the rush, they were trampled on by others and remained on the floor (covered in excrement). Prisoners who were unable to work had to stand without moving a muscle all day long in this unaired space, and some prisoners were drowned by SS men in the toilets.
Storeroom - brooms and cleaning materials were kept in here, and it too was used as a place for torture. The SS guards might lock one prisoner in here, telling him not to move or touch the walls, or they might put so many prisoners in at one time that they actually suffocated.
This is where the prisoners had to wash themselves in the mornings. 8 to 10 people would be standing at these two basins with only cold water springing (like a fountain) from the centre. The washrooms were yet another site of terror; SS guards drowned prisoners in the feet basins (on the right).
The layout of the Prison (a three-winged, T-shaped structure).
It was built by the prisoners in 1936, and held those punished by the SS for infringements of camp discipline, as well as prominent figures arrested by the Gestapo.
Even more torture devices - think hanging for days with dislocated shoulders. Yay.
Or this one! Prisoners were thrown down this hole into a cavern which wasn't big enough in any direction to sit, stand or lie down. They wouldn't know whether they were to spend hours or days down here. Sometimes the SS would pull them up, only to throw them back in again. Oh, and if you were super lucky you would get the double whammy (Torture A above, plus this, Torture B).
This is a to-scale model of the inside of the cell. And Nigel, pontificating :)
There is an exhibition of the key events in the history of Sachsenhausen in what was the prisoners' kitchen.
Sorry about my feet in the reflection! :P
This 40 metre high obelisk is to commemorate the political prisoners who suffered here at Sachsenhausen (as signified by the red triangles). But as Nigel pointed out, what about those with yellow, purple, brown, grey etc triangles? Why are they not represented here too?
The Death Pit/Execution Trench. Oh yes, this is a delightful place.
There were another set of gallows here, or prisoners were lined up against the wall for execution by firing squad.
These are the remaining foundations of the extermination facilities and crematorium. The left hand corner shows the footprint of the first gas chamber (this was where the testing was done).
The remains of the furnaces.
This is the central commemoration site for the victims of the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
In 1996 and 2004, several trenches were discovered near the extermination station. The SS had tipped ashes from the crematorium into them. The stones left on them is a Jewish tradition.
This probably isn't a very nice thing to say, but does he look like Jesse Spencer (from House) or is it just me??
Old gates that lead into the Industrial Yard (behind me as I took the photo). This is not part of the memorial, which Nigel thought was a real shame as it is still almost wholly intact.
Showing the tracks of the huge double gates.
All in all, a very informative and sobering experience - but not somber thanks to our lively and interesting guide, who then took us to THE best currywurst in the city.
It may not look appetizing, but oh boy it was delicious!!
Afterwards Jade and I went for a wander.
We passed Parliament from a different angle.
Lots of people sunning on the lawn.
Then we went back to the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe (as mentioned in Part 1) to explore the museum that is underneath it.
The most moving exhibition (for me at least) was the Room of Dimensions. Here were displayed diary entries, letters and last notes written during the Holocaust. I apologise for the quality of the photos - I hope you can make them out if you're interested.
Then back to the hostel with a couple of detours ...
Like the big granite bowl.
Why a big granite bowl? Because they can.
It's pretty large.
The TV tower was a couple of blocks from our hostel - made finding our way back considerably easier!
These bears were all over the place!! These two were about five shops apart - I didn't take photos of the others because I didn't realise there would be so many!
Berlin really emphasized how amazing it is to learn about history; the events and places while standing in front of it all. It's a little bit mind-blowing. It's also very unnerving to be in countries that have such a comprehensive and visible history.
But fascinating too!
xxox
