Stutthof Concentration Camp

Historic Site in Gdańsk

Muzeum Stutthof, Muzealna, Sztutowo, Poland

Stutthof concentration camp, located approximately 35 km east of Gdańsk near the village of Sztutowo, was the first Nazi camp established outside German borders and the last to be liberated by Allied forces. It was opened on 2 September 1939, just a day after the German invasion of Poland. Initially intended to detain Polish political prisoners from Gdańsk and the surrounding region, it rapidly expanded into a full concentration camp as the war progressed, eventually forming part of the broader Nazi extermination system. Over 110,000 people from 28 countries passed through Stutthof; more than 65,000 perished due to starvation, disease, forced labour, and executions.

The camp layout included barracks, watchtowers, barbed wire fences, and eventually a gas chamber and crematorium, constructed in 1943–44 as Stutthof was incorporated into the Final Solution. Prisoners—Jews, Poles, Soviet POWs, and others—were subjected to horrific conditions. Typhus epidemics, overcrowding, brutal labour in nearby factories or forests, and cruel punishments were routine. The SS also used the camp as a site for medical experiments and executions, particularly in the later years of the war.

Stutthof’s final months were marked by chaotic and deadly evacuations. As Soviet forces approached in January 1945, thousands of inmates were forced on death marches through snow and ice—many died of exhaustion, cold, or execution en route. The camp itself was liberated by the Red Army on 9 May 1945. When Soviet troops arrived, they found around 100 inmates still alive, surrounded by the remains of atrocities.

Today, Stutthof is preserved as a museum and memorial. Visitors can walk through surviving buildings such as the barracks, crematorium, commandant’s villa, and the haunting gas chamber. The museum, established in 1962, documents the camp’s history with photographs, documents, and testimonies. The memorial serves both as a centre of education and a place of remembrance for those who suffered and died there. Entry is free, though guided tours are recommended for deeper understanding.

The Stutthof Concentration Camp appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Gdańsk!

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Visiting Stutthof Concentration Camp

Hours:

High season (May 1 – September 30): Open daily from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with last admission at 5:30 PM.

Low season (October 1 – April 30): Open daily from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM, last entry at 2:30 PM.

Price:

Free, 8 PLN to watch documentary

Address: Muzeum Stutthof, Muzealna, Sztutowo, Poland

Official Website