Tour of a Stasi prison operated in the former East Germany on the outskirts of Berlin. Our tour guide is Hans-Eberhard Zahn, a former prisoner during the 1940's & 1950's.
The site of the main remand prison for people detained by the former East German Ministry of State Security (MfS), or 'Stasi', has been a Memorial since 1994 and, from 2000 on, has been an independent foundation under public law. The Berlin state government has assigned the foundation, without charge. The foundation's work is supported by an annual contribution from the federal government and the Berlin state government.
The memorial's charter specifically entrusts it with the task of researching the history of the Hohenschönhausen prison between 1945 and 1989, supplying information via exhibitions, events and publications, and encouraging a critical awareness of the methods and consequences of political persecution and suppression in the communist dictatorship. The former Stasi remand prison is also intended to provide an insight into the workings of the GDR's political justice system.
Since the vast majority of the buildings, equipment and furniture and fittings have survived intact, the memorial provides a very authentic picture of prison conditions in the GDR. The memorial's location in Germany's capital city makes it the key site in Germany for victims of communist tyranny.
In 2006 the Memorial could reach a new record with more than 171,000 visitors in total and 50% of these being students. Since the Foundation came into effect in July 2000, the number of visitors has more than doubled (figures as of 31.12.2006). Tours of the prison are usually led by former inmates, who provide first-hand details on prison conditions and the interrogation methods employed by the GDR's Ministry of State Security (MfS).
