Sachsenhausen Gedenkstätte Morgue, Berlin, Summer '08

This summer i lived in Berlin for two months and journeyed to the concentration camp Sachsenhausen Gedenkstätte, situated north of the city. To those who have visited a concentration camp before, i'm sure you'll know what i mean when i say the morgues in these places have an incredibly different effect on you to say an ordinary hospital morgue. I know this seems obvious, but i really don't think it was possible for me to fully comprehend how i would feel till i was in there. This was really quite a devastating experience for me, but a unique one nonetheless. If you think you can deal with it, you all should try to visit one.
The whole concentration camp is a huge site, and almost everything is still standing and available to explore. i must have taken hundreds of photos. To narrow it down. here are a few images of the morgue and a wikipedia link for those who want to know more:-













down to the cellar where the bodies were kept... excuse the poor lighting in the next photos. it was very dark down there. i was also pretty scared being how silent and cold it was, and the fact i was the only one in there.












http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachsenhausen_concentration_camp

Excellent pictures & great report. Fascinating but chilling

wow! tiled morgue slabs and the ramp between the stairs im guessing this was to cart the bodies up/down?

Cracking pics there,good stuff...

Mr Sam said:

wow! tiled morgue slabs and the ramp between the stairs im guessing this was to cart the bodies up/down?

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that's correct. the ramp was used for transporting the thousands of bodies, and is at the left hand side of the building going directly down to the cellar. there are also stairs from the inside. the photo's don't to justice to how dark and opressive it truly was.

and thanks everyone for the comments

Was this a permitted visit then? Place looks so new to be derelict!

Really nice shots, they look kind of peaceful and haunting both at the same time. I know what you mean about concentration camps, only been to Auschwitz mind but its an experience I wont forget in a hurry.

Last but not least - tiled morgue slabs? How hygienic!

Wow, chilling indeed, very 'hairs on the back of your neck'.

Incredibly thought provoking pictures, a very sad part of history, but nevertheless something which should be seen by all to truly understand the dark, dark side of WWII.

Carla

missfish said:

Was this a permitted visit then? Place looks so new to be derelict!

Really nice shots, they look kind of peaceful and haunting both at the same time. I know what you mean about concentration camps, only been to Auschwitz mind but its an experience I wont forget in a hurry.

Last but not least - tiled morgue slabs? How hygienic!

Click to expand...

yeah, it's a permitted site, though when i visited it didn't feel so much like it. i saw maybe two other visitors whilst there. walking round such a huge site alone was really quite daunting. Still needing to visit Auschwitz. Hoping to go over there on a trip when i'm next in Berlin.

Here's a flashearth to the site:- http://www.flashearth.com/?lat=52.766966&lon=13.262327&z=16.7&r=0&src=msl

Wow, sobering pics. It looks so cold, what an experience.

Very sobering to think what must have gone on there.