Sunday 1.2.2026 12.00 p.m. - 1.00 p.m.
“So where exactly was Rudolf Hess imprisoned here?” – This is a common question from visitors to the Spandau Citadel. The answer: “Nowhere.” The so-called War Criminals’ Prison, where Hess was the last inmate, was located in Spandau’s Wilhelmstadt district. Construction of the new “Central Fortress Prison” began there in 1877. From 1881 onward, it held convicted soldiers and prisoners of war. After a spectacular prison break during the November Revolution of 1918, the facility—originally built for 300 inmates—was used to detain civilians until 1933. Following the Reichstag fire, the National Socialist regime immediately repurposed the prison for so-called “preventive protective custody.” Until 1945, a large number of political prisoners were incarcerated there, most of whom were sentenced to death—including, for the first time, women, many of them from the Polish resistance.
Join us for a public tour and dive into the complex history of this prison. Together, we’ll explore rarely shown objects and photographs, while interviews with contemporary witnesses offer new insights. The unusual choice to interpret certain events through the visual language of comics adds further food for thought and discussion.
Please note: The tour will be held in German.
/ Meeting point: Armoury
/ Free admission
/ No registration required
