Fates of imprisonment
Thousands of people passed through the Hohenschönhausen detention centre between 1945 and 1989: Nazi suspects, alleged spies, opposition activists, people who wanted to leave the GDR - the reasons for their imprisonment were many and varied.
The fates and stories of the people who were imprisoned here are just as varied.
Contemporary witnesses
Contemporary witnesses play an important role in Hohenschönhausen. Thanks to their commitment at the beginning of the 1990s, a memorial site was established in the former Stasi prison.
Many of them are still active today and tell visitors about their experiences in prison.
Media library
What did it mean to be imprisoned by the Stasi? What was everyday life in the cell like? How were the interrogations organised? What fears, worries, thoughts and feelings did prisoners have in Hohenschönhausen? In our short videos, contemporary witnesses talk about their experiences.
Coordinating Office of Contemporary Witnesses
Reports from contemporary witnesses offer a special approach to history. The coordinating office of contemporary witnesses provides schools throughout Germany with people who can talk in class about their personal experiences of political imprisonment and persecution in the GDR.
Our guides
The work of our freelance guides is an important pillar of the memorial. With great motivation and commitment, they guide visitors through the former Stasi prison and convey the history of imprisonment and repression in the GDR.
