Over 50000 souls perished within these walls. Welcome to the Buchenwald Memorial. This site stands as a stark reminder of the horrors of the Nazi regime. Buchenwald was not an extermination camp but its cruelty was immense. It was one of the largest concentration camps in Nazi Germany. It was the first to be liberated by Allied forces.
Buchenwald’s construction began in 1937. Prisoners themselves toiled under brutal conditions. They built the camp’s infrastructure. The camp was situated on the Ettersberg hill near Weimar. A road and rail linked it to the city center. This was known as the blood road.
Many original buildings were deliberately destroyed. This was part of the memorial’s design. The Buchenwald Memorial was officially dedicated in 1958. The stated purpose was to remove ‘undesirables’. This included Jews Roma and Sinti. Political opponents Jehovah’s Witnesses homosexuals and the homeless were also targeted.
Hunger overwork torture executions and medical experimentation claimed thousands of lives. At its peak the camp held over 16000 inmates. Some prisoners were sent to work in a nearby quarry. Others worked in factories in Weimar and surrounding areas. As the war progressed Buchenwald inmates were also sent to other camps. One of the largest was Dora-Mittelbau also in Thuringia.
In 1941 Russian prisoners of war were sent to Buchenwald. Thousands were killed by a shot to the back of the neck. As Allied forces approached the camp guards forced an evacuation. They killed those unable to move. Desperate inmates used a hidden radio. They appealed for help to nearby US forces. The inmates also staged their own uprising.
Though liberated by US forces Buchenwald fell into the Russian-occupied zone. It was used as an internment camp for those involved with the Nazi regime. In 1950 the East German government took over Buchenwald. They created a national remembrance memorial. This memorial emphasized the suffering and resistance of German communist inmates. After German reunification the memorial’s information was updated. It now includes the experiences of Jewish and Roma inmates. The pact between Hitler and Stalin was also acknowledged. The post-war use of the camp by the Russians was also included.
The Buchenwald Memorial now features permanent exhibitions. These detail both the concentration camp and the Soviet internment camp. Audiovisual materials are also available. The grounds are open year-round until dusk. Museums exhibitions and visitor information close on Mondays. Winter hours are slightly shorter. A public bus links Weimar’s center to Buchenwald. You can also drive there easily. This memorial ensures we never forget the horrors experienced here. This is a place of reflection and remembrance.