Chronology - Buchenwald Memorial

Chronology

The name "Buchenwald" became synonymous with National Socialist crimes when the concentration camp was built on the Ettersberg near Weimar in 1937.

From 1945, the Soviets used the site for one of their special camps, and after 1950, the GDR built Germany's largest concentration camp memorial here. In 1990, Buchenwald was redesigned as a memorial and opened up for the remembrance of the fate of other groups of victims.

In Reih und Glied stehende Häftlinge alle tragen sie die gleiche Zebrastreifen Häftlingskleidung und Mütze. Einige zeigen eine gerkümmte Körperhaltung oder schmerzverzerrte Gesichtsausdrücke.

Concentration camp 1937–1945

In 1937, the SS had a concentration camp erected just a few kilometres outside of Weimar, the famous city of German Classicism. Its name, "Buchenwald," became synonymous with National Socialist crimes.

Five Soviet soldiers. Four are standing in front of the camp gate of the recently established Special Camp No. 2, one is kneeling in the foreground. All of them are looking at the camera.

Soviet Special Camp No. 2 1945–1950

In August 1945, the Soviet occupying power turned the former concentration camp into its special camp, where they largely interred local NSDAP officials as well as young people and individuals denounced for collaborating with the NSDAP.

A crowd has gathered on the former roll call square. In the center is a model of an oversized urn in which the earth brought by participants of the anniversary is collected from over 60 sites of National Socialist crimes. This soil will later go into the foundation of the bell tower in the Buchenwald memorial, which was inaugurated in 1958

Buchenwald Memorial 1945 until today

During the period of the GDR, the National Buchenwald Memorial was constructed on the southern slopes of Ettersberg Mountain. Focus was placed on the German communist resistance fighters. After 1990, efforts were expanded to commemorate the fates of...