Stutthof Museum
The Site Of The First Nazi Concentration Camp Built Outside Germany'S 1939 Borders, Opened On 2 September 1939 And Operating Until May 1945, With Tens Of Thousands Of Prisoners Killed. Now A State Museum And Memorial With Preserved Barracks, Gas Chamber And Crematorium · Sztutowo, Pomeranian
Stutthof was a Nazi German concentration camp near the village of Sztutowo, on the Vistula Spit about 35 km east of Gdansk. It opened on 2 September 1939, the second day of the war, and ran until May 1945, which makes it the first such camp outside Germany's 1939 borders. Around 110,000 people passed through it, and tens of thousands died from hunger, disease, forced labour, shootings and gassing; many were Polish, Jewish and from other occupied countries. Today it is a state museum and memorial. Preserved or rebuilt parts include barracks, the gas chamber, the crematorium, the entrance gate and a railway wagon of the kind used for transports, with a large monument at the far end. Exhibitions in the main building explain the camp's history. It is a place for quiet study, not entertainment, and visitors normally walk in silence. Allow time and expect it to be hard going. The exhibitions are mainly in Polish with English texts, and a guide adds a lot.
Ul. Muzeum Stutthof 1, Sztutowo, about 35 km east of Gdansk on the Vistula Spit, Sztutowo, Pomeranian, Poland
The museum is open most days of the year, usually with longer hours in summer and shorter hours in winter, and it is commonly closed on one weekday, often Monday, plus some public holidays. Entry to the grounds and exhibitions is commonly free, but guided tours and some services are paid, and a free-entry arrangement may change, so check. Visitors should arrive at least two hours before closing, since the grounds are large and last entry comes well before the gates shut. The museum shop and the cafe close earlier than the grounds and the cafe may be closed in winter. Confirm current times on the official channels before travelling.