Gedenk- und Dokumentationsstätte „Opfer politischer Gewaltherrschaft“

About the museum

The building on Collegienstraße was constructed in 1812 as a police and court prison. Between 1933 and 1945 it was also used by the Gestapo. After the end of the war the Soviet secret service took over the prison, and from about 1953 the GDR Ministry for State Security. Death sentences were carried out here during the Nazi era, in the Soviet Occupation Zone and in the early GDR years of 1950 to 1952; between 1945 and 1947 it was the place with the most executions of people sentenced by Soviet military tribunals in the entire occupation zone. After the Stasi moved into a new building in 1969, the People’s Police (Volkspolizei) used the house as a remand prison until the end of the GDR, including for political prisoners.

After its closure in 1990, the music school and the municipal and regional library moved into the building. At the suggestion of a working group of the Round Table, a memorial and documentation centre was established on the ground floor in 1994, commemorating the victims of political violence in three periods: under National Socialism, under the Soviet occupying power and in the GDR. Today it belongs to the Städtische Museen of Frankfurt (Oder) and is run by the Museum Viadrina.

On the authentic site, the permanent exhibition tells the stories of selected people from the city and the German-Polish region who were persecuted, imprisoned or murdered because of their convictions, faith, origin or resistant behaviour. In all themes and periods it also asks about the fates of their Polish neighbours and is presented throughout in German, Polish and English. A further theme is the roughly 1.5 million returning prisoners of war and civilian internees who were released from Soviet camps in Frankfurt (Oder). A memorial-site teacher accompanies school classes and project groups. After renovation work since September 2024, the memorial reopens on 20 November 2026.

Key themes

• Authentic site: former police, Gestapo and Stasi prison dating from 1812
• Biographies of politically persecuted people from Frankfurt (Oder), the region and neighbouring Poland
• Three periods of persecution: Nazi era, Soviet occupation and GDR
• Focus on the death penalty: site of executions in the Nazi era, the occupation period and the early GDR
• History of the roughly 1.5 million returning prisoners of war and civilian internees released from Soviet camps in Frankfurt (Oder)
• Project work for school classes with a memorial-site teacher

Permanent exhibition

• Dauerausstellung zur politischen Verfolgung 1933–1989 – Life stories of people from Frankfurt (Oder) and the German-Polish region who were politically persecuted during the Nazi era, the occupation period and the GDR – throughout in German, Polish and English.

Founded

1994

Operated by

Stadt Frankfurt (Oder), Eigenbetrieb Kulturbetriebe Frankfurt (Oder), Städtisches Museum Viadrina

Admission & discounts

Free admission: International Museum Day and Frankfurt Museum Night

Free tours for school classes from general education schools and groups from recognised youth welfare organisations as part of political education work.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The main entrance has seven steps; a barrier-free side entrance is available. There is a threshold leading to the prison wing, which can be overcome with a ramp.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

Memorial with offerings primarily for school classes and youth groups.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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