In the years from 1933 to 1945, a tragic and dark story took place in the Plötzensee prison in Berlin. Here, more than 2,800 people were either beheaded or hanged after death sentences imposed by the Nazi judiciary - a staggering number of victims, which makes this civilian place of execution the largest under the Nazi regime.
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Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand
A particularly gruesome event occurred after the heavy air raids on Berlin in early autumn 1943, during which the penitentiary was hit and some prisoners managed to escape. Between September 7 and 10, 1943, 250 people sentenced to death were hanged in groups of eight. This terrible action represents the most comprehensive murder action in Berlin during the National Socialist dictatorship.
For the first time, the present exhibition focuses on the history and course of this horrific murderous operation and commemorates its numerous victims. Among the murdered were many German, Czech, Polish and French prisoners who lost their lives in a cruel manner.
This exhibition is intended to commemorate the terrible events and pay tribute to the victims in a dignified manner. It also serves to process the history of this dark chapter and to keep alive the memory of the victims so that such terrible crimes may never be repeated.
