The imposing grey walls of JVA Kassel 1 stand before you. They have witnessed a century of stories. This is not just a prison. It is a place steeped in history a place of both confinement and transformation.
Opened in 1882 JVA Kassel I replaced the old city barracks near the Konigstor. Its construction cost a staggering 2.876 million Marks. The initial population included 201 convicts serving hard labor. Another 220 served shorter sentences. Carl Krohne served as the first director.
World War I saw its first use as a prisoner-of-war camp. The post-war era brought a surge in political prisoners many from the communist opposition. The average prison population which had been around 450 before the war swelled to over 600. In 1921 alone 246 political prisoners were incarcerated. This period also saw the beginning of expansion and modernization projects.
Under the Nazis JVA Kassel 1 became a site of repression. Political opponents were held here. The prison population skyrocketed during the Nazi regime. Even with expansion to 950 beds it remained overcrowded. Bomb damage to another prison in Kassel “Elwe” forced the transfer of inmates exacerbating the overcrowding. The harsh conditions of the period malnutrition and the cold winter of 1939 to 1945 resulted in the deaths of 417 prisoners. Others were sent to Breitenau forced labor camp and Buchenwald concentration camp.
On March 29 1945 three days before the American occupation most able-bodied prisoners were evacuated. A long journey led them through Halle an der Saale Straubing and Bernau eventually interrupted by American forces en route to Dachau concentration camp. The prison staff were interned in Bavaria. Some were even imprisoned by the Americans. There was little continuity. A US command managed the prison in emergency operation with only 250 prisoners. Transfers from “Elwe” and Frankfurt-Preungesheim swelled the numbers to 1200. Supply issues and bomb damage delayed regular operations until 1954.
The 1960s and 70s saw numerous new constructions expansions and renovations. In 1980 the administration established the first open prison spaces. These were separated in 2001 to become JVA Kassel III. Since 2003 a regional administrative center for Kassel Fulda and Schwalmstadt prisons has been located here. JVA Kassel II a social therapy prison opened next door in 1980. The four-story wings of JVA Kassel 1 arranged around a central building reflect a panoptic design. Workshops including carpentry joinery a bakery laundry and a bookbindery provide work for around 300 prisoners. There’s also a central hospital and various sports facilities.
The walls of JVA Kassel I have witnessed terrible events and moments of hope. Their imposing silence speaks volumes. They remind us of the importance of justice compassion and the enduring human spirit.