Online Books of the Dead - Buchenwald Memorial

Three hands of different people touch the heated central plate of the memorial sign on the roll call square. On the plate are read nationalities

Buchenwald Concentration Camp - Book of the Dead 1937–1945

The commemorative book of the Buchenwald concentration camp is dedicated to the more than 56,000 dead and their families. Not included in this count are the thousands who were deported from Buchenwald and died in other concentration camps.

To the digital Book of the Dead

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

Historical overview Buchenwald concentration camp

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.

Several silver steals standing between trees in the forest

Soviet Special Camp No. 2 - Book of the Dead 1945–1950

The database containing more than 7,000 names is based on the death registers and the so-called camp journal of the Soviet camp administration. This information has been accessible since 1993.

Zum digitalen Totenbuch

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.

Historical overview Soviet Special Camp No. 2

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.