NS Documentation Centre of the City of Cologne, Documentation center and museum in Altstadt-Nord, Germany.
The NS Documentation Centre occupies the EL-DE House, a building with exhibition spaces spread across multiple floors. Below ground, a preserved prison facility with cells and interrogation rooms remains accessible to visitors.
From 1935 to 1945, the building served as Gestapo headquarters in Cologne, where thousands were arrested and interrogated. The facility became one of the main centers of persecution in the region during this period.
The wall inscriptions left by detainees in the basement cells provide direct testimony about their experiences and what they endured. These handwritten messages remain visible today and offer a personal connection to those who were held here.
The center is open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on weekends from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Plan to spend several hours here, as the exhibition and basement prison require time to explore thoroughly.
The archives house an extensive collection of documents, photographs, and personal items that reveal how the persecution affected everyday life in the city. These materials show connections between local events and broader regional developments.
Location: Altstadt-Nord
Inception: June 11, 1987
Architects: Peter Kulka
Official opening: September 19, 1988
Opening Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10:00-18:00,Saturday-Sunday 11:00-18:00
Website: http://museenkoeln.de/ns-dokumentationszentrum
GPS coordinates: 50.94056,6.95024
Latest update: December 6, 2025 17:42
Cologne, the fourth largest city in Germany, has stood on the banks of the Rhine for over two thousand years. This collection presents the main monuments, museums, and sites that trace the city's history from Roman times to the present day. The Gothic cathedral dominates the city center with its two...
Der Goldene Vogel
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EL-DE Haus
10 m
Cologne’s Municipal Museum
79 m
St. Maria in der Kupfergasse
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Römerturm
257 m
WDR-Arkaden Köln
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Verwaltungsgericht Köln
101 m
Zeughaus
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Vierscheibenhaus
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Monastery of St. Clara
251 m
St. Maria ad Ortum
244 m
Am Römerturm 3
210 m
Justizgebäude am Appellhofplatz
89 m
Denkmal für Deserteure und Opfer der NS-Militärjustiz
62 m
Palais Eduard von Oppenheim
178 m
Besteckmuseum Glaub
137 m
Alte Wache (Köln)
83 m
Cellitinnenkloster Klein-Nazareth
212 m
Zeughausstraße 2a
106 m
NS-Dokumentationszentrum der Stadt Köln, Bibliothek
10 m
Römerbrunnen
110 m
Monument Tongern in Cologne
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Kölnisches Stadtmuseum, Bibliothek
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Wasserstele
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Lysolphturm (Köln)
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IHK-Gebäude Unter Sachsenhausen 10–26, Köln
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Appellhofplatz 1a
92 m
Amazone
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