Once a proud military fortress, the town of Terezin became a place of terror during the terrifying years of the Second World War. Part concentration camp, part Ghetto, the Nazis detained Jews here after taking them from their homes. Many of the detainees were later shipped off to the extermination camps, like Auschwitz, but many also died in Theresienstadt itself due to the horrific living conditions therein. More than 35,000 Jews lost their lives in Theresienstadt during the Holocaust.
What makes Theresienstadt unique is the role it played in Nazi propaganda. There were cultural activities and better conditions for certain prominent Jews; the camp was billed as a "retirement settlement." All of this served to mislead the outside world about the Nazis' true plans for the camp's inhabitants.
During the tour, your expert guide will teach you about the role Theresienstadt played in the Holocaust, as well as its earlier use as an fortress. The tour includes three additional parts: the Memorial of National Martyrdom, built for the war's victims; the Small Fortress, holding fearsome secrets of the Gestapo; and the Ghetto Museum, whose exhibits were set up with the help of the camp's survivors.