Emma Mykytyn Guide to Visiting Gedenkstätte Plötzensee, Berlin
Gedenkstätte Plötzensee marks the former execution site of Plötzensee Prison, where more than 2,800 people were murdered by the Nazi justice system between 1933 and 1945. The victims included political opponents, resistance fighters, people from occupied European countries, and those condemned by Nazi courts for often minor or fabricated offences.
This is not a conventional museum or site of remembrance, but one of the best places in Berlin to understand how the Nazi regime used courts, prisons and “legal” procedures as tools of terror.
Why visit Gedenkstätte Plötzensee?
Plötzensee gives a powerful insight into Nazi-era injustice and German resistance. Many of those killed here were connected with groups such as the Red Orchestra, the Kreisau Circle and the resistance around the failed 20 July 1944 plot against Hitler.
The former execution room has been preserved as a place of silent remembrance, with an adjoining exhibition telling the stories of those murdered here. It is one of Berlin’s quieter historical sites, but it leaves a lasting impression.
A brief history of Plötzensee Prison
Plötzensee Prison was built between 1868 and 1879. Before the Nazi period, it was intended mainly as a place of correction and imprisonment. After 1933, its purpose changed under National Socialism, becoming part of a system focused on punishment, revenge and execution.
The memorial was officially opened in 1952 and is now one of Berlin’s oldest places of remembrance.
What to see at Gedenkstätte Plötzensee
The former execution chamber
The main part of the visit is the former execution chamber. It is plain, bare and deliberately stark. The preserved beam and hooks remain visible, making this one of the most sobering rooms you can visit in Berlin.
The memorial wall
Outside the execution building is a memorial wall dedicated to the victims. It is a quiet space for reflection before or after visiting the former execution room.
The permanent exhibition
The adjoining exhibition explores the Nazi justice system and the individual stories of those murdered at Plötzensee.
Details for visiting Gedenkstätte Plötzensee
Address:
Hüttigpfad 16, 13627 Berlin-Bezirk Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
Opening hours:
Daily, 9am to 5pm. Closed 24–26 December, 31 December and 1 January.
Admission:
Free.
Accessibility
Ramp access and an accessible toilet.
Looking for more World War Two sites? Click here or the image below.
How to get to Gedenkstätte Plötzensee
The easiest way to visit is by public transport. Take Bus 123 to Gedenkstätte Plötzensee; the memorial is around a three-minute walk from the stop. You can also take U9 to Turmstraße and continue by Bus 123, or take the S41/S42 Ringbahn to Beusselstraße and change to Bus 123. Check with the BVG Journey Planner for up-to-date information.
