The Soviet Special Camp Museum

Location of the Soviet Special Camp Museum

Soviet Special Camp Museum

The Soviet Special Camp No. 7 / No.1 in Sachsenhausen 1945 - 1950

Between 1945 and 1950, the Soviet secret services held a total of around 60,000 people in the core area of the former concentration camp. A dedicated exhibition space, built in 2001, and two of the memaining original masonry barracks house the museum, which documents the history of the Special Camp and the fates of its inmates, 12,000 of whom died from hunger and disease.

- Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum: Brief History and Site Plan

Inside the impressive looking museum—reminded me of a war room. Unfortunately it was getting late in the

afternoon, and I still had much left to see, so I didn't get to see and read enough displays in this museum.  

The sign reads:

In August 1945, a good three months after the end of the war and the liberation of Europe from National Socialist rule, the Soviet secret police (NKVD) relocated the Special Camp No. 7 (from 1948 on: No. 1) to the core area of the former Sachsenhausen concentration camp. Up to its dissolution in March 1950, the occupying Soviet forces held around 60,000 people imprisioned in the barracks men and women, young and old, guilty and innocent, National Socialists and democrats, political and non-political opponents. Between 1945 and 1950, at least 12,000 people died from starvation, disease and epidemics in this camp, the scene of renewed suffering and injustices which, even if considered in relation to the crimes against humanity and war crimes of National Socialism, can not be justified. In Sachsenhausen, where the Soviet Special Camp followed on from the National Socialist concentration camp, neither the one nor the other can be trivialised, or made light of in comparison.

 Soviet, American and British bayonets have slaughtered the beast on the Brandenburg Gate 

Soviet, American and British hands hold down a weighty stone-block on Hitler, Goering and Himmler