Gazing at the imposing walls of Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel, can you imagine the stories held within? This is one of Germany’s largest and oldest closed prisons. Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel has housed male adult prisoners since 1898.
Construction began in 1896. The Royal Tegel Penitentiary opened on October 1, 1898. Early on, the facility even had its own church. It was built between 1896 and 1898. The church featured a neogothic style with twin towers.
All construction inside the outer wall was done by 1902. Buildings outside were finished in 1906. In 1916, Verwahrhaus I became a military prison. Military personnel provided the guards in this section. The facility was renamed Strafgefängnis Tegel in 1918.
The prison was dissolved on April 21, 1945. All inmates were released. French occupation forces took over in July 1945. They returned it to German administration in October. It quickly reopened. In 1955, it was renamed Strafanstalt Tegel. Five watchtowers were built on the surrounding wall in 1957. On April 1, 1977, the name changed to Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel.
Construction for Teilanstalt V began in 1979. It was completed in 1982. Teilanstalt VI construction started in 1984. It was finished in 1988. In autumn 2012, Teilanstalt I was emptied. This excluded the drug screening station. The reason was unconstitutional prisoner housing. The complete removal and demolition of Teilanstalt I was decided in July 2015. Demolition was completed in July 2018.
Many notable figures have been inmates here at Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel. Friedrich Wilhelm Voigt, the Hauptmann von Köpenick, was imprisoned in Tegel for almost two years. Carl von Ossietzky, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, was held here in 1932. Priest Bernhard Lichtenberg was imprisoned for his prayers for Jews. Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote moving letters from the military prison. Helmuth James Graf von Moltke, founder of the Kreisau Circle, was also held here. RAF member Andreas Baader was incarcerated here before his liberation. Dieter Kunzelmann, an ex-commune member, famously turned himself in here.
The prison has a newspaper called Der Lichtblick. Prisoners produce it since 1968. It is Germany’s only uncensored prison newspaper. The newspaper is distributed four times a year. The Berlin theater project aufBruch has staged performances with inmates since 1997. The goal is to open up the prison to the public through art.
Interestingly, from 1898 to 1927, a special tram line transported prisoners. It ran from the police headquarters to Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel. The cars were green with iron plating instead of windows. By 1900, these trams were electrically powered and known as “Dicke Pauline”.
Justizvollzugsanstalt Tegel stands as a complex structure. It represents justice, punishment and even creativity within its walls. Its long history shows the changing approaches to incarceration.