Buchenwald Concentration Camp

The things I saw beggar description…The visual evidence and the verbal testimony of starvation, cruelty and bestiality were…overpowering…I made the visit deliberately in order to be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever, in the future, there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to ‘propaganda.’
— General Dwight D. Eisenhower, April 15, 1945, letter to General George C. Marshall following the liberation of Ohrdruf, a subcamp of Buchenwald

President Barack Obama visited Buchenwald concentration camp in Germany on June 5, 2009, during his trip to Europe. Read the Museum’s Press Release and the full text of his speech, in which he repudiates Holocaust denial. June 6, 2009, marks the 65th anniversary of D-Day. Obama’s great-uncle Charlie Payne, with the U.S. Army in 1945, was one of the liberators of Ohrdruf, a satellite forced-labor camp close to Buchenwald. Buchenwald, together with its many satellite camps, was one of the largest concentration camps established by the Nazis. Explore the links on this page to learn more about Buchenwald, Ohrdruf, D-Day, and the liberation of Nazi camps.

Download high-resolution photographs

Prisoners during roll call. Each wears a striped hat and uniform bearing colored, triangular badges and identification numbers. Buchenwald, Germany, 1938-1941.
— USHMM, courtesy of Robert A. Schmuhl
High-resolution photograph »

American troops walk along a street between rows of barracks in the newly liberated Buchenwald concentration camp. Germany, April 20-June 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of Col. Samuel A. Custer
High-resolution photograph »

Escorted by American soldiers, child survivors of Buchenwald file out of the main gate of the camp. Buchenwald, Germany, April 17, 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park
High-resolution photograph »

German civilians under U.S. military escort are forced to view a wagon piled with corpses in the newly liberated Buchenwald camp. Germany, April 16, 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of Harold Royall
High-resolution photograph »

A section of Buchenwald after liberation. Buchenwald, Germany, between April 11 and June 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of Wilton Gottlieb
High-resolution photograph »

American soldiers view the bodies of prisoners in the newly liberated Ohrdruf camp. Germany, April 4-20, 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of Mary Dickinson
High-resolution photograph »

General Dwight Eisenhower and other high ranking U.S. Army officers view the bodies of prisoners in the newly liberated Ohrdruf camp. Germany, April 12, 1945.
— USHMM, courtesy of National Archives and Records Administration, College Park
High-resolution photograph »

Historical film footage
Liberation of Buchenwald.
See video »

Historical film footage
Liberation of Ohrdruf.
See video »

Eyewitness testimony
Benjamin (Beryl) Ferencz describes collecting evidence of crimes in the Buchenwald camp.
See video »

Maps
View map »

Photos
View photos »

RELATED LINKS

• Buchenwald
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• عربي
  
• فارسی
  
• Português (BR)
  
• Español
  
• Türkçe
  
• اُردو
  
• Ohrdruf
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• Nazi Camps
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• World War II in Europe
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• D-Day
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• Liberation of Nazi Camps
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• U.S. Army Units
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• 89th Infantry Division
  
  (Holocaust Encyclopedia article)
• Liberation
  
  (Special Focus)
• Days of Remembrance 2005: From Liberation to the Pursuit of Justice
  
• Museum Statement on President Obama’s Visit to Buchenwald Concentration Camp
  
• Comentarios del Presidente Obama, el Canciller Alemán Merkel y Elie Wiesel
  
• كلمات الرئيس باراك أوباما
  
• سخنرانی های بوخنوالت