Castle Hoheneck, Former women's prison in Stollberg, Germany.
Hoheneck is a former women's prison in Stollberg consisting of a stone structure with thick walls, guard towers, and multiple cell blocks. The complex was designed to hold up to 600 inmates, though it held far more during its operation.
Founded in 1862 as a royal Saxon women's penitentiary, the facility was repurposed after World War II to serve as East Germany's primary detention center for female political prisoners until its closure in 2001.
This place stands as a memorial to oppression during the German Democratic Republic era, preserving the stories of women who were detained here for attempting to leave East Germany. The rooms and cells reflect their daily lives and personal struggles.
Visitors can take guided tours of the complex that include preserved cells, work areas, and exhibits documenting former inmates' experiences. The tours help you understand the layout and allow time to explore the rooms at your own pace.
The facility was severely overcrowded during its operation, at times holding roughly double the number of inmates it was designed for. This extreme overcrowding defined much of the daily hardship experienced by women held there under the DDR system.
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