Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial

The former central prison of the East German secret police – the Stasi – is today a memorial. The remains of this vast prison with its cells and interrogation rooms give a deep and authentic insight into German history. Guided tours are given mainly by former political inmates.

STORY

On the site of a former large kitchen in the north-east of Berlin, a special Soviet camp was built after the end of the Second World War. After the closure of the camp in November 1946, the central Soviet prison of inquiry was established in the basement of the building for East Germany. In April 1951 the Ministry of State Security (MfS) took over the prison, extended it in November 1960 by a new building and used it until January 1990 as a center of investigations. Thousands of political persecutors were imprisoned in this place, including almost all known GDR oppositionists. 

Around the detention center in Genslerstraße in Berlin, the central districts, which were responsible for criminal investigations and prisons at the MfS, were also located: the Main Division IX and Division XIV, which were directly subordinated to the Minister for State Security Erich Mielke. They supervised and directed all the investigative detention centers and detention centers in the 15 GDR districts. The place formed a kind of central point of Communist repression in East Germany.

The detention center was located in a military restricted area, which was hermetically sealed by the outside world. In the area, which was not included in an East Berlin map, there were other districts of the MfS: the operational-technical sector (OTS), which was responsible for the construction of detention facilities, the main department IX / 11 with its secret NS archive as well A part of the espionage apparatus of the Main Administration A (HVA). Immediately next to the prison was the working camp "X" in 1974, where convicted prisoners for the state security service forced to work.

ACCESSIBILITY

The guided tours for blind and visually impaired people are free of charge, as the Association of the Memorial gives them financial support.

HOW TO REACH

By tram M5 from S / U-Bhf Alexanderplatz or S-Bhf Landsberger Allee (direction Hohenschönhausen / Zingster Straße) to Freienwalder Straße .


By tram M6 from S / U-Bhf Alexanderplatz or S-Bhf Landsberger Allee (towards Hellersdorf / Riesaer Straße) to Genslerstraße .
By tram 16 from S / U-Bhf Frankfurter Allee (direction Ahrensfelde) to Genslerstraße .


Take the bus 256 from S / U-Bhf Lichtenberg (direction Wartenberg) to Große-Leege-Straße / Freienwalder Straße .

ADMISSION

PERMANENT EXHIBITION:
Admission Free

GUIDES:
price 6,00 Euro
Reduced 3,00 Euro
Student 1,00 Euro