Topographie des Terrors

It was the center of Nazi terror and power between 1933 and 1945; now this stretch of land next to the Martin Gropius Bau and not far from Potsdamer Platz is dedicated to documenting the chilling and murderous strategies, plans and actions of the Gestapo, SS and security branch of the Third Reich which were all once headquartered here.

Nothing is left of the buildings that once held the offices of these organizations, which were destroyed during Allied bombing in 1945. The Topography of Terrors open-air exhibition runs along the excavation site of the cellars of the Gestapo, where political prisoners were interrogated, tortured and executed.

A preserved 200 meter section of the Berlin Wall can be viewed along one side of the site at Niederkirchnerstrasse. Texts are in German and English; access to the exhibition is available daily until dark. Entry is free, and guided tours and informational talks are provided upon request. A new multi-million euro documentation center is scheduled to open in Spring 2010.