Gedenkstätte Buchenwald

The original Buchenwald Memorial, Nationale Mahn- und Gedenkstätte (NMG) Buchenwald was built by the GDR and dedicated in 1958. Communist resistance against the Nazis, however, was overemphasized in the memorial, and thus generally the memorial was viewed as a"national GDR memorial" Consequently new conceptions of the memorial commenced in 1989. In the following decade, extensive planning and work was done to conceptualize and rebuild this memorial space.In 1971, the archive of the Buchenwald Memorial was founded with the goal of helping provide information to families and loved-ones of former inmates of the Concentration Camp, as well as providing research opportunities on the history of the Camp. In April 1994 the Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Memorials Foundation was established.On 8 April 1995, the permanent exhibition on the history of Buchenwald Concentration Camp in the former depot opened. In October 1999, the permanent exhibition on the history of Buchenwald Memorial opened. 

The archival collection at the Buchenwald Memorial provides materials on the history of the camp. Many of the documents within the archive were given to the Memorial by former inmates or former inmates' families. Such documents include personal documents of survivors, accounts, SS-administrative documents, post-war court documents, history of the memorial, etc. 

Use of the archive is permitted upon submission of an application (can be submitted by email or post). Fees apply for use of the archive for those who wish to visit, aside from former inmates and families.