New Brandenburg Prison

The new Brandenburg prison (Havel) was built between 1927 and 1931. The prison had a capacity for 1,800 inmates and was characterized by a modern regime during the Weimar Republic.

In 1933 this changed, and the Nazis used the complex to detain 'dangerous elements'. The prison population consisted mainly of criminals, political prisoners, draft dodgers and prisoners of war. In 1940, an execution room (see photo) was set up, where 1,722 prisoners were executed in the period from August 1940 to April 1945. 652 other prisoners were struck by disease and 6 committed suicide. On April 27, 1945, the prison was captured by the Red Army.

After the war, the prison complex was used until 1947 to detain collaborators and leading members of the Russian Liberation Army (ROA). In 1949/1950 the prison was taken over by the GDR, who followed in the footsteps of their fascist predecessors and used the prison to imprison a large group of political enemies, Jehovah's Witnesses, gypsies, homosexuals and human rights activists, in addition to former Nazis and criminals. In the early years also many of them were executed.

The complex today:
Nowadays, a documentation center and museum have been set up in the former director's home to preserve the memory. On the ground floor, in addition to the situation in the prison during the Weimar Republic, ample attention is paid to the Nazi period. The top floor is entirely dedicated to the GDR period. The former execution room with guillotine is located within the current prison grounds and can only be visited by appointment.

For current visiting hours, please visit the website of the museum.

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Source

• Text: Kaj Metz en Jan de Jager
• Photos: Jan de Jager
• Gedenkstätte Zuchthaus Brandenburg-Görden