Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial: Face the Past

The Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial is located on the site of the main political prison of the former East German Communist Ministry of State Security, the Stasi. From 1951 to 1989, thousands of political prisoners were incarcerated here, including many well-known GDR opponents. The prison was in a restricted military area, hermetically sealed from the outside world and not even marked on East German city maps. The site has a long history, beginning as an industrial kitchen before becoming a Soviet special camp at the end of World War II. In 1946, it became the central Soviet prison for East Germany. The Stasi took over in 1951, expanding the prison in 1961 and using it until 1989 as a central custodial prison. After die Wende in 1989, the prison officially closed on October 3, 1990. It was opened as a memorial in 1994. Today, the Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial serves as a reminder of political persecution in the Soviet-occupied zone and the GDR. Visitors can take guided tours led by former political prisoners, who share their personal stories of imprisonment and interrogation. The memorial also features a permanent exhibition with photos, documents, and objects that explore the reality of life for prisoners in the Stasi prison.