Visiting memorial sites in Germany: the rules each site states

No single rulebook

Germany's memorial sites do not share a national code of conduct. Each publishes its own visitor rules, in its own words, and XTOUR reports them only that way, site by site. This article covers the five sites whose rules XTOUR read on 9 October 2026: three memorials on the sites of former concentration camps (Buchenwald, Dachau and Bergen-Belsen) and two Berlin memorials (the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Berlin Wall Memorial). XTOUR could not read the Sachsenhausen Memorial's or the Topography of Terror's own pages, so it states nothing about their rules.

Three of the five have their own XTOUR guides, which carry each site's rules in full: the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and the Berlin Wall Foundation's sites. Here those three have one line per topic; Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen, which have no XTOUR guide of their own, are set out in more detail.

The three camp memorials begin from the same point. Buchenwald calls itself "a place of remembrance, a place where people suffered and died, a cemetery".[1] Dachau says its memorial "has the character of a cemetery, a place of sorrow and remembrance".[5] Bergen-Belsen's visit page (in German) says its grounds are today considered a cemetery, and that dogs and bicycles are not permitted there to preserve the peace of the dead.[8] Many of the rules below follow from that.

Children and age guidance

This is where the sites differ most, and where two pages of the same site can disagree.

• Buchenwald. Its FAQ and practical information page recommend not visiting the former detention cells, the crematorium or the museums with children under 12, and the FAQ sets a minimum age of 15 for guided tours.[2][1] Its house rules, the English PDF linked from the practical page, go further: they advise against visiting the memorial at all with children and adolescents under 14, and say under-14s in particular should not visit the exhibitions, the former detention cells or the former crematorium.[3]
• Dachau. Its visitor guidelines advise that children under 12 do not visit the museum exhibitions, the memorial site grounds or the former crematorium, while its FAQ says some of the content may not be appropriate for children under 13 and its film page gives 13 as the recommended minimum age for visiting; its education programmes are for visitors "over the age of 13" on the opening-hours page and "aged 13 and above" in the FAQ.[6][7][4][5]
• Bergen-Belsen. Its visit page says the permanent exhibition is not suitable for anyone under 14, and its visitor regulations say children under 14 should visit the memorial only with adults.[9][8]
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The foundation recommends the Information Centre exhibition for young people from 14 years of age.[10]
• Berlin Wall Memorial. The foundation's visitor information page for the memorial gives no age guidance.[11]

XTOUR does not resolve these differences. At both Buchenwald and Dachau the differing figure is in the house rules or visitor guidelines, the documents whose rules each site says its staff are instructed to enforce.[5][3]

Clothing, symbols and the right to refuse entry

• Buchenwald. The FAQ asks for appropriate clothing, prohibits clothing and symbols recognised as produced or marketed in the right-wing extremist milieu, and also prohibits symbols glorifying violence, such as images of weapons or skulls.[1] Its house rules reserve the right to deny access to people who make anti-democratic, anti-Semitic, antigypsyist, racist or other inhuman statements, or who belong to parties or organisations that do.[3] The practical page adds a non-symbolic point: the Ettersberg, where the memorial stands, is over 480 metres high and often cold and windy, and it recommends warm clothing and sturdy shoes.[2]
• Dachau. The guidelines ask for appropriate attire, prohibit clothing or symbols associated with right-wing extremist groups and the carrying of flags or banners on the former camp grounds, and reserve the right to refuse admission to persons, parties or organisations making anti-democratic, racist or anti-Semitic statements.[5]
• Bergen-Belsen. The visitor regulations (in German) ask visitors to behave and dress as befits the dignity of the place, rule out clothing and symbols associated with right-wing extremism, and let supervisory staff ban anyone who expresses inhuman, racist or National Socialist ideas through behaviour, clothing or political symbols.[8][9]
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The Field of Stelae regulations say political demonstrations, flags or other symbols "disturb the memory", as do begging and any sporting activity; jumping from stele to stele and making noise are not permitted.[10]

Eating, drinking and smoking

• Buchenwald. The FAQ says smoking is prohibited on the grounds of the former inmates' camp and asks visitors not to eat or drink there; the house rules prohibit smoking, eating and alcohol on the camp grounds and at the burial sites.[3][1]
• Dachau. On the former camp grounds, the guidelines prohibit smoking, eating and drinking alcohol.[5]
• Bergen-Belsen. No food or drink in the exhibition rooms; smoking only in the car park, on Anne-Frank-Platz and in designated areas at building entrances; open fire is prohibited elsewhere on the site.[9]
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. No smoking or alcohol on the Field of Stelae; in the Information Centre, no smoking, no food, no alcohol and no glass bottles.[10]
• Berlin Wall Memorial. No eating or drinking in the Documentation Center or the Visitor Center, and no smoking.[11]

Photography, filming and posting

All five sites have a page that allows photography for private purposes, but the conditions differ, two of them also control what is published afterwards, and one foundation's pages disagree with each other.

• Buchenwald. Private photos and filming are allowed during individual visits but not on guided tours or other educational programmes.[1] The house rules say photos and films taken at the memorial may be published in print or on the internet, including social media, only with the consent of the foundation's directorate, and prohibit flashes or artificial light in the exhibitions.[3]
• Dachau. Non-commercial photography and filming without a tripod is permitted for private purposes; guided tours, guides and staff may not be filmed or photographed, drones are prohibited, and filming is not permitted in the former crematorium.[4]
• Bergen-Belsen. Private photos and film are allowed as long as other visitors are not disturbed; any publication in print or on the internet, social media included, needs the memorial's permission, and flash is not allowed in the exhibitions.[9]
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Private photography and filming in the Information Centre is allowed without flash; commercial photography on the Field of Stelae needs the foundation's written consent.[10]
• Berlin Wall Memorial. The memorial's visitor information allows photos and filming for private use only, without tripods or selfie sticks, and fines violations 500 euros for each act of infringement, while the Berlin Wall Foundation's general visitor-information FAQ says that, in principle, all photo, film and audio recordings at all its locations must be registered and approved in advance; XTOUR does not resolve the two.[12][11]

Buchenwald and Bergen-Belsen also say that the content of their staff's guided tours may not be reproduced word for word, in recordings or in print, without the prior consent of the staff concerned; Dachau's guidelines list reproducing the literal content of guided tours among the things not permitted on the former camp grounds, with no consent route stated.[5][9][3]

Dogs and bicycles

• Buchenwald. The FAQ and practical page say dogs are not permitted on the grounds of the former inmates' camp, which is also a cemetery, except guide dogs and assistance dogs with identification, and that cycling is not permitted on the memorial site.[2][1] The house rules, which apply throughout the memorial grounds, prohibit accompaniment by animals except guide dogs for the blind, and all means of transport except mobility aids.[3]
• Dachau. Dogs are not permitted anywhere on the grounds except guide and assistance dogs, and bikes are not allowed on the premises.[5][4]
• Bergen-Belsen. Dogs other than assistance dogs are not allowed in the buildings, on the cemetery or on the historic camp grounds, and bicycles, scooters, skateboards and similar may not be brought onto the site.[8][9]
• Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. No dogs, other pets or bicycles on the Field of Stelae; only assistance dogs in the Information Centre.[10]
• Berlin Wall Memorial. Only assistance dogs inside its buildings; dogs on a leash are allowed on the outdoor grounds.[11]

Guides and groups

The sites also regulate who may guide.

• Dachau says only persons licensed by its Education Department may conduct tours at the memorial, and that its own daily tours for individuals cannot be reserved.[5][4]
• Buchenwald 's house rules prohibit guided tours or educational events carried out by third parties against payment.[3] Its two visitor pages describe its own public tours differently: the FAQ speaks of German-language tours for individuals "on a donation basis" and, elsewhere, of tours in German, English and French, while the practical page says the outdoor tours for individuals are held "only in German" and cost 10 euros, or 5 euros reduced.[2][1]
• The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe asks external guides, tour guides and teachers not to conduct tours through the Information Centre.[10]

What XTOUR does not state

XTOUR does not generalise any of these rules to "German memorials", and does not add rules of its own. It publishes no hours, and no accessibility or travel information for these sites; each site's pages carry what it chooses to state. A visit to Dachau, to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe or to the Berlin Wall Foundation's sites is set out in full in the guide to each, linked at the top of this article.