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Lindenstrasse 54/55 Memorial SiteFrom: Potsdam, Germany
From the outside, Lindenstrasse 54/55 looks much like any other 18th Century building in Potsdam's historic center--until you notice the bars on the windows. The bars were designed to keep people in, not out, until the Soviet and GDR political prison--nicknamed the "Linden Hotel" by sardonic locals--was transformed into a memorial and museum after East Germany's "Peaceful Revolution" in 1989-1990. A press release from Brandenburg Tourism gives a Cliff's Notes version of the building's history:
Today, the building is maintained in its original condition by the Potsdam Museum as the Lindenstrasse 54/55 Memorial Site, with help from an organization--the Fördergemeinschaft Lindenstrasse 54, or Lindenstrasse 54 Support Association--that "provides a forum for people who have suffered political persecution and illuminates the shadows of the past." Visitor information:The Memorial Site is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The admission fee is nominal. For a slightly higher fee, you can take a guided tour. An audioguide in English may be available by the time you read this. For more information, see the German-language Stiftung Gedankstätte Lindenstrasse Web site, which has opening hours, ticket prices, and a map. For captioned photos of the Lindentrasse 54/55 Memorial Site, go to page 2 of this article. Next page: More photos
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