Hans-Jürgen Breuste | Mahnmal Gerichtsgefängnis

The sculpture by Hans-Jürgen Breuste (b. 1933 in Hannover – d. 2012) serves as a monument commemorating the Criminal Justice Prison that formerly stood here, in which numerous opponents of National Socialism had been incarcerated. A »circle of supporters« had initially advocated affixing a memorial plaque at the site, later the erection of a monument. The artist had already been commissioned to draft a design for the project in 1985, and this was followed by years of discussions concerning permission, location and especially the accompanying plaque’s text. Initially only the
most prominent prisoner, the Communist Party leader Ernst Thälmann, was to be mentioned, but the inscription would eventually feature more comprehensive information. The monument asserts itself
as an important marker on a difficult site in terms of town planning. A fundraising action was undertaken to finance the project, which former prisoners also participated in. Further work in Hannover
(selection): »Bogside ’69« on Kleine Packhofstraße. » Location: Lister Meile/Berliner Allee