Memorial in the former Stasi remand prison in Magdeburg-Neustadt, with a permanent exhibition on political persecution from 1945 to 1989.
October 3, 2026 – November 27, 2026
The exhibition of 23 banners shows how the Reichsbanner, founded in Magdeburg in 1924, campaigned for the Weimar Republic and its constitution, especially after the NSDAP's election successes from 1930, and draws connections to Magdeburg.
The red-brick building in northern Magdeburg was built from 1873 to 1876 as a royal Prussian local court with an attached city prison. From 1940 the entire complex served as a penal prison; after 1945 it was mainly used as a judicial remand prison and later by the People's Police. During the popular uprising of June 17, 1953, demonstrators stormed the building and freed 221 prisoners.
From 1958 the Ministry for State Security (Stasi) used the prison as a remand facility for political prisoners; the former court building was converted into an interrogation building. Until December 1989, more than 4,000 people were held here. In March 1990, the citizens' committee handed the cleared building over to the city. An exhibition about the Stasi in Magdeburg drew around 23,000 visitors in the fall of 1990 and gave the impetus to turn the site into a memorial.
In December 1990, the city council decided to establish the memorial. From 1994 to 2006, the state of Saxony-Anhalt and the city jointly funded it; since 2007 it has belonged to the Stiftung Gedenkstätten Sachsen-Anhalt.
Admission is free.
Guided tours and project days are free of charge. A flat contribution of €150 applies for a contemporary witness talk with adult groups.
The permanent exhibition and event areas in the front building are fully wheelchair-accessible; the floors can be reached step-free by elevator, and a wheelchair-accessible toilet is on the first floor. The cell house has five steps; a ramp can be installed on request. A designated accessible parking space is opposite the memorial. The contents of the media stations can also be heard; there is no Braille or prism lettering and no tactile guidance system. A brochure with an English translation can be borrowed at reception. Advance registration before the visit is requested.
Only partly suitable for kids
The educational programs are aimed at students from 9th grade onward; for younger groups, the memorial asks that you consult them in advance.
Nicolaiplatz · 5-min walk · 400 m
By tram line 1 or 9 from the Hauptbahnhof to Nicolaiplatz; from S-Bahnhof Neustadt, lines 1, 9, and 10 go there. From the stop, walk along Moritzstraße toward Moritzplatz.
Free parking
Free parking spaces are available nearby; two bus parking spaces are directly in front of the memorial, and a disabled parking space is opposite.
From the Magdeburger Ring, take the exit Neustadt/Mittagstraße; at the first traffic light, turn left onto Umfassungsstraße. After about 200 meters, the memorial is in the red-brick building on the left.
Get directionsThe museum hasn’t published any information on this.
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | Thematic tours through the original preserved detention areas, with an introduction to the permanent exhibition: MfS remand detention (1.5 hours), storming of the prison on June 17, 1953 (1 hour), Peaceful Revolution 1989/90 (1.5 hours). Register at +49 391 2445590 or info-moritzplatz@erinnern.org. |
