I remember walking through the front entrance gates of Sachsenhausen, the slogan ‘Arbeit Macht Frei’ {work makes (you) free} hanging proudly from its iron gates and feeling a gloomy cloud settle on my shoulders. Walking along the mass graves, through the execution gas chambers and seeing the ovens used to cremate the bodies of thousands of people that were brutally killed prompted an overwhelming flow of emotions. I felt angered at how heartless the people involved were to have committed such atrocities without an ounce of regret. I felt sympathy towards the families that lost their loved ones and I felt apologetic towards those who were ruthlessly ripped away from their loved ones and killed without so much as a second thought.
I am happy that the Sachsenhausen concentration camp is open to the public, so that people can see for themselves the fruits of hate and greed; and we can learn from mistakes that were made in the past and make conscious efforts to prevent such things from happening ever again.