Category: Tabletexts

The Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, east of the Kurt-Schumacher-Damm, was built between 1961 and 1965.

Here and in the new housing development built to the west, almost all of the streets, squares, schools and bridges – including the housing estate itself – are named after resistance fighters, opponents of National Socialism or people who took part in the plot to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944.

Women and men such as Helmuth James Graf von Moltke – after whom the primary school here is named – were sentenced to death for resisting the National Socialist regime and executed at Plötzensee.

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Resistance to National Socialism

The Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, east of the Kurt-Schumacher-Damm, was built between 1961 and 1965.

Here and in the new housing development built to the west, almost all of the streets, squares, schools and bridges – including the housing estate itself – are named after resistance fighters, opponents of National Socialism or people who took part in the plot to assassinate Hitler on 20 July 1944.

Women and men such as Helmuth James Graf von Moltke – after whom the primary school here is named – were sentenced to death for resisting the National Socialist regime and executed at Plötzensee.

Vorlesen – Read out

The Church of Atonement is a prime example of modern church architecture, named because of its close proximity to Plötzensee. The wall that leads into the church is a memorial to places of horror in human society. The artwork is to be seen in the context of remembrance work in the Federal Republic of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall.

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Evangelische Sühne-Christi-Kirche church

The Church of Atonement is a prime example of modern church architecture, named because of its close proximity to Plötzensee. The wall that leads into the church is a memorial to places of horror in human society. The artwork is to be seen in the context of remembrance work in the Federal Republic of Germany and the construction of the Berlin Wall.

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This church was built as a Catholic memorial church to honour those who gave their lives for freedom of faith and conscience in the years 1933 – 1945. Today, joint services in the spirit of ecumenism commemorate both Catholic and Protestant resistance fighters. The bell tower used by both churches symbolises this close cooperation.

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Katholische Gedenkkirche Maria Regina Martyrum church

This church was built as a Catholic memorial church to honour those who gave their lives for freedom of faith and conscience in the years 1933 – 1945. Today, joint services in the spirit of ecumenism commemorate both Catholic and Protestant resistance fighters. The bell tower used by both churches symbolises this close cooperation.

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This church is a place of worship for the Protestant community and a memorial to the victims of Plötzensee. The works by Viennese artist Alfred Hrdlicka highlight the executions that took place at Plötzensee. He combines them with Christian scenes and social issues of his time. The cycle of paintings “Plötzenseer Totentanz” (Dance Macabre of Plötzensee) is an outstanding work of modern ecclesiastical art.

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Evangelische Gedenkkirche Plötzensee church

This church is a place of worship for the Protestant community and a memorial to the victims of Plötzensee. The works by Viennese artist Alfred Hrdlicka highlight the executions that took place at Plötzensee. He combines them with Christian scenes and social issues of his time. The cycle of paintings “Plötzenseer Totentanz” (Dance Macabre of Plötzensee) is an outstanding work of modern ecclesiastical art.

Vorlesen – Read out

Plötzensee prison was one of the main execution sites of the National Socialist dictatorship. More than 2,800 people were put to death here from 1933 to 1945. Most were accused of resistance to National Socialism. About half of them were of non-German origin. This exhibition provides details about every one of them.

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Gedenkstätte Plötzensee memorial

Plötzensee prison was one of the main execution sites of the National Socialist dictatorship. More than 2,800 people were put to death here from 1933 to 1945. Most were accused of resistance to National Socialism. About half of them were of non-German origin. This exhibition provides details about every one of them.

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Strafgefängnis Plötzensee prison had been a site of execution since 1887 in the German Empire.

The address at the time, Königsdamm 7, entered in the death register of the Charlottenburg registrar’s office, is often the final trace of people murdered here between 1933 and 1945 after unjust verdicts by the National Socialist judiciary.

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Former Prison Plötzensee

Strafgefängnis Plötzensee prison had been a site of execution since 1887 in the German Empire.

The address at the time, Königsdamm 7, entered in the death register of the Charlottenburg registrar’s office, is often the final trace of people murdered here between 1933 and 1945 after unjust verdicts by the National Socialist judiciary.

Vorlesen – Read out

On the site of what is now a colony of allotment gardens stood a residential barracks. In 1940, the Berlin waterworks company applied for a building permit to accommodate approximately 350 “foreign workers”. Construction plans, documents and an aerial photograph testify to this little-known camp.

According to current findings, there were about 3,000 barracks and other forms of accommodation in Berlin for about 500,000 men and women who had to do forced labour in the war years 1939 to 1945. Severe punishment was meted out even for the most minor offences. Many forced labourers, especially from abroad, were executed at Plötzensee after unjust verdicts by the National Socialist judiciary.

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Forced Labour Camp in the National Socialist period, colony Pferdemarkt

On the site of what is now a colony of allotment gardens stood a residential barracks. In 1940, the Berlin waterworks company applied for a building permit to accommodate approximately 350 “foreign workers”. Construction plans, documents and an aerial photograph testify to this little-known camp.

According to current findings, there were about 3,000 barracks and other forms of accommodation in Berlin for about 500,000 men and women who had to do forced labour in the war years 1939 to 1945. Severe punishment was meted out even for the most minor offences. Many forced labourers, especially from abroad, were executed at Plötzensee after unjust verdicts by the National Socialist judiciary.

Vorlesen – Read out

The names of streets and bridges are not only a medium of orientation but also a means of remembrance. The selection of people to be honoured reflects contemporary political values and goals.

Heuweg, a side street that later gained significance as an access road to Plötzensee Memorial, was renamed after the Charlottenburg communist Richard Hüttig in 1950. In 1934, Hüttig was the first political prisoner executed at Plötzensee. Königsdamm, in front of the main entrance to the former prison at Plötzensee, was renamed in 1971: in honour of General Friedrich Olbricht, who played a leading role in the plot to oust Hitler on 20 July 1944 and was executed at the Bendlerblock.

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Resistance to National Socialism

The names of streets and bridges are not only a medium of orientation but also a means of remembrance. The selection of people to be honoured reflects contemporary political values and goals.

Heuweg, a side street that later gained significance as an access road to Plötzensee Memorial, was renamed after the Charlottenburg communist Richard Hüttig in 1950. In 1934, Hüttig was the first political prisoner executed at Plötzensee. Königsdamm, in front of the main entrance to the former prison at Plötzensee, was renamed in 1971: in honour of General Friedrich Olbricht, who played a leading role in the plot to oust Hitler on 20 July 1944 and was executed at the Bendlerblock.

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During the National Socialist regime, there were large workers’ barracks at the site of the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, affiliated to the neighbouring Siemens-Schuckertwerke works (SSW). In the early 1940s, almost half of all workers at SSW were forced labourers. They included forced labourers from occupied territories in Eastern and Western Europe, prisoners of war, and from 1944, concentration camp inmates from Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen.

Like Siemens, hardly any business in Berlin went without using forced labour. It was the only way to maintain munitions production and civilian supplies in the war years.

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Forced Labour Camp in the National Socialist period, SSW works

During the National Socialist regime, there were large workers’ barracks at the site of the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, affiliated to the neighbouring Siemens-Schuckertwerke works (SSW). In the early 1940s, almost half of all workers at SSW were forced labourers. They included forced labourers from occupied territories in Eastern and Western Europe, prisoners of war, and from 1944, concentration camp inmates from Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen.

Like Siemens, hardly any business in Berlin went without using forced labour. It was the only way to maintain munitions production and civilian supplies in the war years.

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The urban area west of Kurt-Schumacher-Damm was built between 1956 and 1961.

Here and in the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, built to the east between 1961 and 1965, almost all streets, squares, bridges or schools are named after resistance fighters and people who took part in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler on 20 July 1944.

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Resistance to National Socialism

The urban area west of Kurt-Schumacher-Damm was built between 1956 and 1961.

Here and in the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung estate, built to the east between 1961 and 1965, almost all streets, squares, bridges or schools are named after resistance fighters and people who took part in the plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler on 20 July 1944.

Vorlesen – Read out