The Historic Terezin Memorial Excursion
On this private, full-day tour travel to the village of Terezin, a former military fortress used as a Jewish concentration camp, which has since been transformed into Terezin Memorial in honour of those whose lives were lost. On this tour, you will:
- Be picked up at your hotel in a private vehicle and be driven to the village of Terezin
- Learn about the reign of the Nazi regime in Prague, and the heroism of the local Jewish community
- Visit the Big Fortress, the Small Fortress, Ghetto Museum, and Magdeburg Barracks
- Visit Terezin Memorial and Terezin Fortress
- Be driven back to your hotel in Prague
In 1940 Prague’s Gestapo installed the Terezin Small Fortress police prison. About 32,000 prisoners passed through the Terezin Small Fortress between 1940 and 1945. For many Jewish people, the Terezin ghetto was a place of dire suffering highlighted by unbearable living conditions and utter disregard for human life by the Nazi regime. Astonishingly, more than 150,000 Jewish people were sent here, including 15,000 children. Russian forces liberated Terezin on May 8th, 1945, eight days after Berlin had fallen to the Allies. Today the well-preserved concentration camp stands as a memorial to the plight of Prague’s Jewish people in World War II.
The Jewish Legacy
Your expert guide will explain the historical context of the Jewish struggle during the 20th century in the region and will be very happy to answer questions you may have about Jewish history. Despite the horrors that occurred in Terezin, hidden within this imposing military fortress are stories of true heroism, bravery, and a harrowing fight for freedom.
Unravel years of history as you explore the Big Fortress, the Small Fortress, the Ghetto Museum and Magdeburg Barracks. In the Big Fortress - a former Jewish ghetto that includes the Museum of the Terezin Concentration Camp - you will see many sobering artefacts, including a collage of drawings by children imprisoned at the camp. Additionally, you will have the chance to watch a Nazi propaganda film, which presented Terezin as a “gift” to the Jews from Hitler. This propaganda film was supposed to dispel rumours about the horrors of life in concentration camps.
After visiting the museum, you will have the chance to explore different buildings and explain their roles during the war. You will see local Nazi headquarters and the headquarters of the Jewish self-administration. You will also be shown the barracks where tens of thousands of Jews lived in vile conditions.
At the end of this unforgettable excursion, you will be driven back to your hotel in Prague.
Please note: the crematorium is closed on Saturdays.
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