Tours & activities in Berlin

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

A sombre and respectful visit to one of the darkest chapters of human history

ABOUT THE Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour

This 5-hour day trip from Berlin to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial is a sombre yet crucial part of any trip to Berlin. Learn about the treatment of hundreds of thousands of Nazi prisoners inside the camp walls, and remember the tens of thousands who never made it out alive. You will also hear about the camp's post-war use under the Soviets from 1945 - 1950.

 

Your Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour meets in front of the Starbucks at the Brandenburg Gate (S/U-Bahn Brandenburger Tor).

 

The first purpose-designed Nazi concentration camp

This day trip from Berlin to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial is an important part of any visit to the German capital. Built in 1936 as the Berlin Olympic Games were taking place, Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp was the first Nazi concentration camp to be designed specifically for this purpose. Not only was it close to the Nazi's capital of Berlin, but it also served as the training grounds for camp guards and camp commandants before they were sent out to the other Nazi concentration camps.

Journey from Berlin out to the Sachsenhausen memorial

The tour begins at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, before your expert local guide (who is accredited to the Sachsenhausen memorial site) will take you on the train out to the camp, giving you an important background of the Nazi's concentration camp system as you go. Once you arrive in the town of Oranienburg, where Sachsenhauen was built, your guide will point out the march the prisoners were taken on through the streets and past the townspeople to get to the camp. Upon arrival at the Sachsenhausen memorial, you will see the model layout of the camp, as your guide explains why it was built that way, before taking you inside the former camp itself.

The lives and deaths of prisoners inside the camp

Once inside the former camp, your guide will tell you about the daily lives of the prisoners - you will see how the prisoners slept in the overcrowded barracks, stand on the square where the hours-long daily roll call would take place, and learn about some of the cruel work details they were forced to carry out. You will hear about punishments and murders in the Sachsenhausen concentration camp, and you will also see the cell block building, where prisoners were put into isolation and brutally tortured, before being taken to the foundations of the former Station Z building, purposefully built to kill prisoners and dispose of their bodies quickly. You will also learn about the final days of Sachsenhausen concentration camp, including the death march the prisoners were forced to go on in April 1945, and the prisoners who were simply left behind to die.

 

While the majority of this tour takes place outdoors, there are a few small museums within the memorial itself. Due to COVID restrictions on how many people can be inside at once, it is possible that queues may prevent you from being able to enter these exhibitions on particularly busy days. However, your expert, licensed guide will ensure that you do not miss out on any information from this important site.

Read more
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Image for meeting point

The Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp Memorial Tour starts in front of the Starbucks at the Brandenburg Gate (S/U-Bahn Brandenburger Tor)

  • Learn about the brutality of the Nazi concentration camp system
  • See the kinds of overcrowded living quarters the prisoners were forced to sleep in
  • Hear about the work details they were forced to carry out, including the infamous shoe testing track
  • Remember the tens of thousands of victims who did not make it out of the camp, or who died on the death march in the final days of WWII
  • See the much-feared cell block, and the foundations of the former Station Z
  • Learn about the camp’s post-WWII use under the Soviets as Soviet Special Camp no. 7

TOUR SCHEDULES

Today

This tour doesn‘t run today

PHOTOS
Inclusions & exclusions
What’s included
  • Expert local guide, accredited to the site
  • Entrance and donation to the Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp memorial site
What’s not included
  • Train pass (ABC day ticket required)
  • Food or drinks
Additional Information
  • You will need to purchase an ABC day transport ticket for this tour and validate it before joining the trip
  • The price of the tour for children from 3 to 12 years old is 6€. Children up to 2 years old may join for free. However, please note that some content may not be suitable for younger guests
  • Wheelchair accessible, but please note the ground can get muddy during the winter months
  • Tour runs rain, hail or shine, but is entirely outdoors, so please dress appropriately
  • Wear comfortable shoes – tour covers 3-4km of walking
  • You can stay and spend more time in the memorial museums on your own, or return with your guide on the train to central Berlin
  • Please purchase drinks and snacks prior to joining the tour
  • Our business is connecting great guides and smart travelers, and we're proud that so many local guides employ us to welcome travelers like you on their journey through some of the world's best cities. No two tours are alike, and the sites, stories, and length of the tour will vary depending on what your freelance guide decides is best. That's why the tours we promote never get stale or feel scripted, and why both independent guides and savvy travelers prefer SANDEMANs
MAP
berlin free tour metting point in front of starbucks at Pariser Platz
The tour to Sachsenhausen starts in front of the Starbucks at the Brandenburg Gate Open in Google Maps
Tour start Tour starts here
End start Tour usually ends here

Customer reviews

What is a Select Tour?

 

Select Tours focus on a particular area or district of a city, a certain aspect of its history or culture, or take you outside the city on a day trip. Select Tours are perfect for those who have enjoyed an introduction to the city and wish to delve deeper into the stories the city has to offer. These tours often venture further afield and make use of local public transport.

As with the Free Tour, Select Tours are provided by local freelance guides in partnership with SANDEMANs NEW Europe, who bring their personal flair and expert knowledge to these specifically themed tours. Select tours have a fixed ticket price - we recommend purchasing your ticket in advance, either during a Free Tour or online.

Delve deeper with themed select tours

  • Expert local guides
  • Theme specific tours
  • Location specific tours
  • Full-day and half-day tours on offer
  • Affordable prices

WALKING TOURS & ACTIVITIES IN BERLIN

  • Filter by
  • Free Tour
  • Select Tour
  • Pub Crawl
  • Private Tour

Participation in tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe is strictly on a voluntary basis. Neither SANDEMANs NEW Europe, nor the self-employed freelance guides who are the providers of the tours promoted by SANDEMANs NEW Europe, will be held responsible in any way for injuries to body or property incurred during tours. The tour guides reserve the right to deny participation in any tour, to any person, for any reason. Thank you for your understanding.

Warehouse District in Hamburg during a SANDEMANs walking tour
Walking Tours & Activities in Hamburg - Germany

Hamburg

Discover
Marienplatz aerial views in Munich
Tours in Munich are offered by our partners, Todo Tours

Munich

Discover
SANDEMANs fresh news

Donate to Sandemans New Europe

Thank you! Your support means more to us than we can express in words.
Chris Sandeman and the SANDEMANs Live Community

Means of payment

Payment is secured with

Means of payment