Stutthof, about 34km east of Gdańsk near the village of Sztutowo, was the first Nazi concentration camp built outside Germany – opened within days of the September 1939 invasion of Poland – and it went on to be the last camp liberated by the Allies, in 1945.
What happened here
Stutthof began as a civilian internment camp under the local Danzig police, initially holding Polish political leaders and intellectuals. It was formally designated an SS special camp in 1941 and an official concentration camp from January 1942. Over its existence, roughly 110,000 people were deported there; an estimated 63,000 to 65,000 died, from forced labour, starvation, disease, and the brutal forced evacuations as Soviet forces advanced in the war's final winter. About 28,000 of those who died were Jewish.
Visiting today
The site preserves original structures – barracks, the gatehouse, and the area where the crematorium stood – alongside a museum covering the camp's history and the people held there. It's a quieter, less-visited site than Auschwitz, but the history is no less serious, and the visit is built for reflection rather than a quick walk-through.
Booking a tour
A guided tour from Gdańsk bundles return transport with a guide who provides context the exhibits alone don't cover, typically running about five hours including the drive. Independent visits are possible if you're driving yourself, but most visitors from Gdańsk find the guided option simpler given the site's distance from the city.
Treat this as a dedicated half-day rather than something to combine with lighter sightseeing – the subject matter doesn't suit rushing, and most visitors want time afterward before moving on to something else.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
About 34km east of the city, near the village of Sztutowo – roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car or tour bus.
Image: Polimerek via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)