After the initiative »Faites votre jeu!« decided in early February 2009, after long deliberations and discussions, to accept the former police prison Klapperfeld as a replacement building for their squatted youth center in Bockenheim, it was already clear that the use of the building could not take place without a critical examination of the over 115-year history of the former police prison.

In order to do justice to this consideration, a working group on the history of the prison was formed even before moving into the the building. Since then, we have been working on the reconstruction of the different eras of the former prison and have so far set up two permanent exhibitions on the history of the building.

A timeline on the ground floor gives a fragmentary overview of the prison’s history from the creation and construction of the Klapperfeld to its use by the initiative »Faites votre jeu!« as a self-organised centre. You will find the timeline on site in both English and German.

The exhibition in the basement deals with the history of the former police prison and its use during National Socialism – 1886–1945. Please note that this exhibition is so far only available in German on site, while it is accessible in English here on this website.

On the second floor you will find the exhibition »Out of here – Inscriptions of people in police custody and immigration detention in Klapperfeld prison – 1955–2002«. This exhibition is also accessible in English on site.