Behind Prison Walls: Getting into Trouble in Moabit

Moabit is a district that has been home to radical thinkers throughout the centuries – just not always voluntarily. From the brutal repression of Nazi-era resistance to daring prison escapes of Red Army Faction members, on this tour we will look at crime, punishment and resistance in Berlin. We will focus on Lehrter Straße and explore this street that is now located next to the capital’s Central Station but was once the undesirable outpost of the growing city. Hidden corners of Berlin, including the sites of two former prisons, will come together to tell you fascinating yet often overlooked stories that span 200 years of crime, terrorism, and people not afraid to get into trouble.

We’ll start this tour just across the road from Berlin Central Station, at the Moabit Historical Park Cell Prison. Now a peaceful oasis in the middle of Berlin, the park is on the site of a former prison and is still bordered by the original prison walls. We will look at the prison’s development throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and the stories of those jailed there, including key members of the 20th July plot to assassinate Hitler.

From there, we will head to a former women’s prison, which made national headlines when four terrorists escaped out of its confines in 1976. The site now serves as a set for film productions, most recently featuring in the hit TV show Babylon Berlin.

Of course, this street is home to far more than just its prisons and we will also have a chance on the tour to dig deeper into the history of the area as we explore the legacy of local legend Klara Franke.