Weimar Things to Do

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The gatehouse which was the only entrance to the camp for prisoner was built in 1937 with a clock tower. The clock has been stopped at 3.15 pm, the exact time the camp was taken over by the inmates on 11th April 1945. The balcony of the clock tower was used by guards watching the camp. One wing of the building was the prison block and the other wing was for the SS administration. Inscribed on the inside of the entrance gate is the words Jedem das Seine, ‘To each his own’.

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Opposite the car park at Buchenwald is a number of large yellow buildings with red tile roofs, these are the former barracks blocks for the SS. There were built between 1937 and 1939 and there was originally 18 buildings. Unusually, the layout for the buildings, car park and the camp is not symmetrical like all the other camps I have been too. The former SS parade ground that is now the car park has a semicircle shape which is not ideal for marching. I asked the staff as to why this design was adopted, but nothing has been recorded as to the reasons why and the best guess is the topography of the area. One of the first places to visit is the information building that has numerous leaflets, books, audio aids and information. There is a cinema close by, showing a film of the history of camp with English sub titles. Toilets and a café are also located within this area.

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After the end of WW2 the former Concentration Camp at Buchenwald became part of the GDR. It was decided by the GDR Government that a memorial should be built on the southern slopes of the Ettersburg where the Bismarck Tower had been demolished in 1949. There was a long debate of a number of years with many different designs. Work started in 1954 and took four years. The site was dedicated on 14th September 1958. The timescale gives some idea of the scale of the project and is one of the largest memorials I have seen to Nazi Tyranny. You descend down a series of steps to an entrance gate and then down the stele path. On the way down you have glorious views over the distant countryside.

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Having reached the end of the avenue you can start the ascent to the base of the Bell Tower thought it is unfortunately closed to the public at the moment. At the top of the stairway, in front of the Bell Tower is the commemorative ensemble, a sculpture depicting the resistance fighters imprisoned at Buchenwald, by Fritz Cremer.

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At the bottom of the steps is one of three depression bowls containing ashes of former inmates. You pass along the Avenue of Nations which has 18 columns, one for each country that had victims at Buchenwald.

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Buchenwald (Beech Tree Forest) Concentration Camp is located on the northern outskirts of Weimar off Ettersburger Strasse, and is marked by an obelisk, that was originally located at the gatehouse and was the first memorial at the camp. You have to travel along the Road of Blood up the Ettersburg. The Road of Blood was built by the prisoners of cobble stones in 1939 and is about 4 kms in length before you reach the camp. There was a railway line that ran parallel with the road but most of this has become overgrown, though in recent times some parts have been exposed. You pass the coach park and into the main car park that was used by the SS as a parade ground. Buchenwald was opened in July 1937 and was liberated on 11th April 1945. During its 8 year history some 240,000 prisoners were sent to Buchenwald though this number could be higher because not all the prisoners were recorded. Some 65,000 of these prisoners lost their lives at Buchenwald.

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The Soviet Cemetery was set up in June 1945 and by April 1946, 640 members of the Soviet Army had been interred here. The cemetery is in Park on the Ilm and it has raised controvesy over the years with its location and the park’s association with Goethe. It is located in tranquil setting and took me a while to find. The headstones have names on both sides which is something I have not seen before but is an obvious way of saving space and money.

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A hotel has stood on this sight since at least 1696. The present Elephant Hotel was completely rebuilt in 1938. Adolf Hitler use to stand on the balcony giving speeches to the crowds in the Market Square below and reviewing troops. A cut out figure now stands in the same position. Numerous other famous people have stayed in Weimar’s most famous hotel including Leo Tolstoy and J. S. Bach.