Gedenkstätte Ehrenhain Zeithain
Memorial run by the Stiftung Sächsische Gedenkstätten for the victims of the Zeithain prisoner-of-war camp 1941–1945, with a permanent exhibition.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The memorial commemorates the victims of the Wehrmacht prisoner-of-war camp near Zeithain, which was set up in 1941, before the invasion of the Soviet Union. Roughly 25,000 to 30,000 Soviet prisoners of war, as well as more than 900 prisoners of other nationalities, died there, mainly from hunger and catastrophic hygienic conditions. The dead lie in four cemeteries around the former camp grounds.
The Ehrenhain, at 180 by 180 meters the largest of these cemeteries, was created in 1948/49 with a 15-meter-high obelisk and a portal of red granite. The Dokumentenhaus, originally the residence of a gardener's family, has housed the memorial since 1985.
Since June 2003, a permanent exhibition on the first floor of the Dokumentenhaus and in a former camp barrack has shown the history of the camp. It is structured thematically rather than chronologically and encourages discovery-based learning. The memorial sees itself as a place of information and education and as a point of contact for relatives of former prisoners of war. It is run by the Stiftung Sächsische Gedenkstätten.
Key themes
- Permanent exhibition in the Dokumentenhaus and a camp barrack
- Ehrenhain with obelisk and granite portal (1948/49)
- Historical inscriptions by prisoners of war in the barrack
- Guided tours and project days for groups
Permanent exhibition
- Dauerausstellung zum Kriegsgefangenenlager Zeithain – In the Dokumentenhaus, five thematic modules present, among other things, the camp, the Italian military internees, and the Polish prisoners; the barrack is devoted to the Soviet prisoners of war.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Stiftung Sächsische Gedenkstätten
- Director
- Jens Nagel
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
| Group tour (per group) | €60Expense allowance; free for school classes, students, volunteer social year (FSJ) groups, trainees, unemployed people, people with disabilities, and relatives of victims |
|---|
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Ehrenhain, Zeithain · 700 m
Bus line 439 between Riesa train station/bus station and Gröditz bus station, to the stop "Ehrenhain, Zeithain" on the B 169; from there, about 700 meters on foot. By train from Riesa or Elsterwerda to Zeithain station, then about 2 kilometers on foot.
By car
Free parking
Free parking directly at the entrance to the grounds.
From Riesa on the B 169, drive about 10 kilometers toward Gröditz and turn right 100 meters after a petrol station, at the obelisk inscribed "Gedenkstätte Ehrenhain Zeithain". Staff on site can provide directions to the other cemeteries.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Guided tours and project days require written registration at least 10 days in advance (form, email, fax, or phone). The museum adapts its school and project programs to different target groups; schools in Saxony can be reimbursed for travel costs to memorial visits. |
