Gedenk- und Begegnungsstätte Torhaus Gera

Memorial and congress place
in the Torhaus

of the political detention centre
1933 - 1945 / 1945 - 1989

History

History 1876 - 1933

The prison located at the Amthordurchgang was a detention centre used in different historical eras. From 1933 to 1989 the prison exclusively incarcerated political prisoners. In spite of massive protests and the attempt to seize the building by the association "Memorial Amthordurchgang", the actual cell tract was demolished in 1999. Therefore the authentic place does not exist anymore. You are now in the entrance area and administrative building of the former detention centre.

The Geraer city chronicle first verifies the existence of a detention centre at the Amthordurchgang in 1876: A Geraer citizen complained about a prison supposedly being built directly downtown. The prison subordinated to the princely district court Gera, the principality's Reuss of younger line. On 10th January 1879 the estimate for the equipment of 12-men-cells averaged 630 marks and 30 pfennigs. Amongst other things the money was spent for 18 jackets, 18 spoons and 12 detention tubs. At this time the prison included 25 cells. It was operated like a family-owned establishment. The three prisoner guards stayed overnight at the prison and their wives would take care of laundry and preparing the meals. In 1896 the prison was extended, by adding another floor level onto the already existing building. The number of the cells was doubled to a total of 50. During the same period the regional court building was built in Gera. The usage as a court prison in which criminals of all kind were arrested and several death penalties were executed, existed until 1933.