Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial

The Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial is the former central remand prison of the Stasi, East Germany's secret police. Political prisoners were interrogated and psychologically broken here, in a restricted zone that did not appear on East Berlin city maps. Guided tours, some led by former inmates, take you through cells, interrogation rooms and exercise yards, making it one of the most powerful things to do in Berlin if you want to understand life under the East German dictatorship.

History in brief

In 1945 the Soviet secret police set up Special Camp No. 3 in a former industrial kitchen; around 20,000 people passed through it by October 1946. Prisoners were then forced to build a windowless basement jail, nicknamed the "U-Boat" (submarine).

In 1951 the Stasi took over. Until 1989, according to the memorial, more than 11,000 people were held here for political reasons: would-be escapees, people who had applied to leave the country, dissidents and critics. A new prison building with more than 100 cells and interrogation rooms followed around 1960. Instead of open violence, interrogators increasingly relied on isolation, disorientation and psychological pressure. Tours began in 1994, and the memorial foundation was established by Berlin state law in 2000.

Tours, tickets and opening hours

The prison can only be visited on a guided tour. English-language tours run daily at 10:40 am, 12:40 pm and 2:40 pm; German tours run more often. A tour costs 9 EUR (reduced 5 EUR, school students 2.50 EUR), lasts about 1.5 hours plus an introductory film, and is best booked in the online ticket shop (as of October 2026). The site is open daily 10 am to 6 pm, closed December 24–26, December 31 and January 1. The exhibitions on the history of the prison are free and can be seen without a tour.

Budget about two to three hours in total. Tours often sell out on weekends and during school holidays, so book online a few days ahead. Early-morning tours tend to be quieter, and guides are happy to answer questions afterward. Look out for the special tour that includes the "Grotewohl Express", the last surviving East German prisoner transport railcar.

Who should go

The memorial recommends visits for ages 14 and up; descriptions of imprisonment can be overwhelming for younger children. Pets are not allowed, except assistance dogs. Because of the historic buildings, not everything is step-free, but the new building and basement prison can be reached by elevator in a wheelchair if you register in advance.

How to get there

The memorial is at Genslerstraße 66 in the Hohenschönhausen district of northeast Berlin, roughly half an hour from Alexanderplatz. Take tram M5 to Freienwalder Straße, or tram M6 or 16 to Genslerstraße. Do not take the S-Bahn to "Hohenschönhausen" station, which is far away. Your regular Berlin AB ticket or Deutschlandticket covers the trip. Free parking is available nearby, and there is a cafeteria and bookshop in the visitor center.

Is it worth visiting?

Absolutely, if you are interested in the Cold War or the Stasi. Unlike many museums, this is the real place, largely preserved, and hearing a former prisoner describe the interrogation methods is unforgettable. Pair it with the Stasi Museum in Lichtenberg, the former secret police headquarters, for the full picture of how the surveillance state worked.