Unprecedented Development

During the 1951 in East Berlin, the Stasi (The Ministry for State Security of East Germany) took over the top-security prison with its underground cells from the Soviets. During the late 1950’s, prisoners were used to build additional 200 cells and interrogation rooms. This huge detention centre was located in an undisclosed restricted area of Berlin that was not included on any city map. Most of the population knew nothing of its existence; inmates didn’t even know where they were being held. The Stasi – once widely regarded as one of the most effective and repressive intelligence and secret police agencies in the world – relied heavily on psychological methods to break down prisoners, who were placed in solitary confinement and cut off from the outside world. Although West Germany was able to buy the release of some individuals, it was not until the collapse of East Germany in 1990 that the last prisoners were released. (Predrag Pajdić)

Organisation: City of Women; In collaboration with: Škuc Gallery; Archives of the Republic of Slovenia.