Gedenkstätte Lager Sandbostel

Near the town of Sandbostel was the Stalag XB prisoner-of-war camp (Enlisted Men’s Main Camp B in Military District X, Hamburg), which had been established by the Wehrmacht as early as August 1939, before the start of World War II.

Until its liberation in April 1945, more than 313,000 prisoners of war, civilian and military internees from over 55 countries passed through the camp. They came primarily from France, the Soviet Union, Belgium, Yugoslavia, and Poland, as well as Italian military internees, male and female members of the Polish Home Army (Armia Krajowa), and members of the British Merchant Marine.

Some prisoners stayed in the camp for only a few days; others for several years. The prisoners of war were put to work at numerous locations in northern Germany’s war economy. In April 1945, an additional 9,500 prisoners from the Neuengamme concentration camp and its satellite camps in Bremen arrived in Sandbostel after being forced on death marches.

Mass deaths due to starvation, disease, exhaustion, and violence occurred in the winter of 1941–42 among the Soviet prisoners of war, as well as in April–May 1945 among the concentration camp prisoners deported to Sandbostel. Those who died at the camp are buried in the cemetery located about two kilometers east of the camp.

Today’s exhibition and the grounds open to the public
Today, 23 buildings still stand, of which nine barracks, two latrines, and one of the two camp kitchens are accessible. A modern, multimedia-based permanent exhibition also informs visitors about the camp’s history and postwar history and illustrates the living conditions at the time in the camp, where tens of thousands of prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates died of hunger, cold, disease, exhaustion, and violence.

The site is open to the public, but visitors are not permitted to enter the dilapidated buildings. The permanent exhibitions and other rotating special exhibitions can be viewed during opening hours.

Public Guided Tours
Public guided tours are offered on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m. The meeting point is the main exhibition building. Participation is free of charge; donations are appreciated.

Guided Tours
Guided tours for groups of 10 or more can be arranged year-round on all days the museum is open by calling 04764-2254810 or by emailing besucherbetreuung(at)stiftung-lager-sandbostel.de.
For group bookings, an administrative fee of 2.00 euros per person (with a minimum of 40.00 euros) is charged.

Educational Programs
The Lager Sandbostel Memorial is a place of remembrance and reflection, of research, collection, preservation, and education—that is, of historical learning. We aim to present all these aspects of our work to our visitors.
As part of our educational work with young people at the memorial site, we offer various programs focused on remembrance and reflection, as well as learning at the historical site of the events—the scene of the crime. Further information can be found on our website under the subcategories of the menu item Education.
 
Dogs
Dogs may be brought onto the memorial’s outdoor grounds on a leash. Dogs are not permitted inside the exhibition buildings. Assistance dogs are an exception.

Stories Between Magic and Folklore
Immerse yourself in the story "Memory at the Sandbostel Camp: Never Again War? Past and Present!".