Lindenstraße Memorial Site
The Lindenstraße Memorial Site in Brandenburg is a central place of remembrance and education, just a short walk from Sanssouci Park. Housed in a former prison and courthouse, it commemorates political persecution and imprisonment in the Nazi era, the Soviet occupation zone, and the GDR. It also explores the successful overcoming of SED dictatorship through the Peaceful Revolution of 1989/90.
Table of contents
Lindenstraße Memorial Site | Former Prison and Courthouse
The state capital of Potsdam is primarily known nationally and internationally for its castles, gardens, and parks, significant architectural witnesses of the early modern and 19th centuries designated as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Beyond these cultural treasures, Potsdam holds a rich history in the realm of 20th-century democracy and dictatorship.
Just a short walk from Sanssouci Park, in the city center, is the Lindenstraße Memorial Site. Situated in a former prison and courthouse, it reflects on political persecution and imprisonment during the Nazi era, Soviet occupation zone, and GDR. Simultaneously, it addresses the overcoming of SED dictatorship through the Peaceful Revolution of 1989/90.
The exterior of the memorial appears as a baroque city palace facing the street, while the courtyard surprises with a prison built in the early 20th century. From 1933, it served as a venue for judgments in line with Nazi ideology. After World War II, the Soviet secret police used it to enforce their occupation rule, and from 1952 to 1989, the Stasi operated the prison during the GDR era.
In the course of the Peaceful Revolution, the complex transformed into the “House of Democracy,” where preparations for the only free People’s Chamber election in 1990 took place. Today, a permanent exhibition informs visitors about the site’s eventful history. Authentically reconstructed cells and well-preserved security technology offer insights into the past. Tours, available in various languages, provide a lasting impression of the conditions political detainees endured.
The Lindenstraße Memorial Site serves not only as an information center but also as an open learning space for history. It hosts eyewitness discussions, project days, and public events. Regularly changing special exhibitions provide new perspectives on the house’s history.
Address
Lindenstraße Memorial Site, Lindenstraße 54/55, 14467 Potsdam.
Opening Hours
The Lindenstraße Memorial Site is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm.
Tickets & Tours
Flexible admission prices according to visitors’ preferences and possibilities.
Public Tour: The public guided tour in German takes place every Saturday from 2 pm to 3:30 pm. Group tours in various foreign languages can be requested at any time.
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Contact
Phone: +49 (0) 331 / 971 89 000
Website: www.gedenkstaette-lindenstrasse.de