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Buchenwald concentration camp was established on Ettersberg Hill near Weimar in July 1937. It was planned for political opponents of the Nazi regime, Jews, Jehova's Witness, homosexuals, so-called social misfits and criminals.
With the beginning of World War II more and more people were sent to the camp from all over Europe. At the time of the camp liberation over 95 % of the inmates were not German. The concentration camp had over 136 external sites. The inmates worked in the armament industry.
Although it was not a place of planned genocide in itself. The camp was part of the German armament industry. In an attempt to clear the camp a short time before its liberation, the SS sent approximately 28000 prisoners on death marches. Nearly 21000 prisoners remained in the camp.
Between 1937 and 1945 more than 250000 people were imprisoned in the camp and more of 50000 died. 1951 was the camp established in a memorial to Anti-Fascist Resistance. In this process the camp was mostly demolished.
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