Memorial SA Prison Papestraße

Next to the Südkreuz railway station in Berlin, you’ll find this hidden, free memorial museum in the basement of an apartment complex. The museum refers to itself as “the first concentration camp.” When the Nazis came to power in 1933, they opened this prison to detain and torture their political opponents, mostly communists.

The now-empty rooms contain signs in both German and English that describe the experiences of the prisoners during the early days of the regime. On the walls, remnants of the building’s former function can still be seen.

Over 500 people were imprisoned here, and more than 10 are known to have been killed. After the war, the building was largely forgotten, which ultimately saved it from destruction. In 1991, a group of researchers rediscovered the site and its history. It opened in 2011 as an official memorial museum.