Th
is past Friday we visited Sachsenhausen, one of the many concentration camps which have been preserved and repurposed as a museum.
While riding the train onto the nearest town of Oranienburg, I felt uneasy and uncertain of what to expect. Would they show articles of clothing from the prisoners who were located there? Would there be any original walls or buildings which are intact? But more realistically, would the displays be translated into English?
Short answer: English translations are available 🙂
As Germany terms their ideology of denazification as ‘coping with the past’, the exhibits within the museum were direct, lengthy in detail, and respectful in nature. I was blown away by the number of firsthand accounts which described the immense power of the SS over the imprisoned, as well as the number of preserved sites which provided a gruesome picture of everyday life. Walking into the corridors, the hospital rooms, or the execution site, as the prisoners had done before, also felt very strange.
Overall, visiting Sachsenhausen further informed me of the inhumane treatments of the Jewish and German POW’s, as human experiments and malnourishment were not uncommon. I was amazed by how human beings so capable and advanced could be so corrupt and malicious towards one another.
Creating an environment in which people of various nationalities could recognize one’s mistakes is something that I wish more governments invested more in. Countless other countries from Asia and Europe have caused conflicts and unforgettable tragedies that are not recognized in importance as they should be. Here’s to hoping this happens!