Product Code Database
Bautzen II was a 20th century political prison in the town of Bautzen in Saxony operational during the communist regime in East Germany. It was the only East German prison directly under the control of the Stasi.
It now stands as an open-air museum and memorial to its harsh history, entered at no charge.
From 1906 to 1933 the building served as a relatively commonplace prison linked to the encircling police headquarters and courtrooms to the south on Lessingstrasse. The building had 157 cells holding up to 203 prisoners (most cells being single occupancy). Occupancy was general short pretrial periods and shorter sentences for lesser crimes at post-trial.
Due to a general under-occupancy, the prison was shared with captured prisoners-of-war from 1916 to 1918.
From 1923 to 1933, due to reforms in the Weimar Republic the prison went through its most lenient period.
From 1945 to 1949 it was run by the KGB. This period was the prison's most crowded, with up to 400 prisoners in the space designed for 200.
From 1949 the prison was run by the Saxony Judiciary. After a period of re-organisation, it was used as a detention centre from 1951 to 1956. However, in 1956 it passed to the newly created Stasi ( Stasi). The nature of imprisonment changed radically and punishments became unusually harsh. People aiding escape to the West were regularly sentenced to 15 years, a harsh punishment designed as a strong deterrent. Overall numbers grew further, peaking at 260 in 1962. During this period Amnesty International became involved both in prison conditions and the nature of those imprisoned.
From 1963 one wing on the first floor housed female political prisoners (up to 19).
Only one escape is known: Dieter Hötger in 1967. He was recaptured nine days later.
After some discussion it was decided to retain the prison in its entirety as a memorial and free museum. It is accessed from the north-east, as the police headquarters and law courts remain operational to south, east, and west. It opened as a museum in 1993. Most of the building is preserved untouched. Some of the larger rooms contain exhibits explaining the history of the building, some of the prisoners, and some of the guards. The exercise yards are only accessible by special request.
There is no fee to visit. Volunteers offer some information. The outer buildings contain a self-service cafe and a display of East German prison transport.
The prison is accessed from the north off Weigangstrasse.
The area was formally opened as a public-access area in 1990, with information boards were added. A memorial chapel was erected in 2000, which provides more information on the victims and shelter for visitors.
|
|
