Author: Kelsey Yen

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp

On a rather gloomy Friday, we went to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. One of the things I am impressed with the most is the attention to detail. Even though some of the original buildings have been removed and the videos they show are outdated, all the stories told and scenes described are so specific and individual to the real-life characters that lived out their days in the camp. It is clear that the preservation of the camp is to portray the horrors and pain felt there in the most tangible and feasible way possible to those who go to visit. By telling the stories of real people with names, histories, and families, the entire camp comes even more to life, although it’s functioning days are long gone. The descriptions are at times so vivid that you can almost see the scene as if you are there amongst it. Of course, this makes the entire experience of visiting Sachsenhausen perhaps one of the most difficult in Germany. And for that, I applaud the German people for not shying away from the terrors that took place in their country and by their predecessors. I am also encouraged by their desire to preserve their country’s history and hope to see other countries do the same in order to celebrate the victories and mourn the losses that have and will continue to shape our world.