Witnesses of political persecution 1945 to 1989

The design of the memorial makes a clear distinction between the authentic site as a "bearer of history" and the documentation and exhibition level. The media information layers stand out from the historical building substance and differentiate between the authentic and the new. The exhibition is divided into a prologue, victim section, perpetrator section and epilogue. The exhibition opens with an abstract model of the prison complex, which is used as a media display to differentiate between the various phases of imprisonment. This introduction is accompanied by audio testimonies from the inmates. The large hall of the victims' area illustrates the fates of the prisoners based on five main themes. Large illuminated panels overlaid with projections divide the room, name the subject area and show authentic locations relating to the topics. In the adjoining perpetrator area, which has been largely preserved, the use of structural elements is reduced to a walkway on which display cases with objects are placed. The surviving surfaces remain clearly legible for the visitor and are discreetly highlighted with ephemeral typographic projections.