„Im Namen der Union der Sozialistischen Sowjetrepubliken!“ Justiz und Besatzungswillkür in Mecklenburg (-Vorpommern) 1945 – 1953
In the organizer's words:
"In the name of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics!"
Justice and arbitrary occupation in Mecklenburg (-Western Pomerania)
The exhibition is dedicated to the history of political persecution in the Soviet Socialist Zone and early GDR up to 1953 from a regional perspective. The focus is on the period up to the founding of the state. Based on the history of the building's impact, the persecution practices of the occupying power against German civilians are documented, in particular on the basis of individual fates. The role of the German communists allied with the occupying power and further political developments are also examined.
The topics:
- The German-Soviet War 1941 - 1945
- The invasion of the Red Army
- Germany under Allied occupation
- The Soviet security apparatus in Germany
- The house on Demmlerplatz
- Special camps in the Soviet occupation zone
- Arbitrary arrests of young people
- Convicted at Demmlerplatz
- Transfer of the Soviet model
- Arbitrariness under the sign of land reform
- The emergence of the SED
- Politicization of East German jurisdiction
- The political branch of the criminal investigation department
- Suppression of opposition and resistance
- Germans in Soviet camps (e.g. in Workuta)
- Dealing with Stalinist crimes after 1953
The operative sector
Arbitrary arrests
In 1945, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern became part of the Soviet Occupation Zone (SBZ). Further developments were determined by the social changes enforced by the military administration with the help of its German allies. The Soviet secret police played a major role in this. It introduced methods of repression that were commonplace in the Soviet Union. These included arrests, torture and deportations. The Schwerin court building served as the headquarters of the regional "operational sector".
Catastrophic prison conditions
The cell wing of the justice building is sometimes so overcrowded that up to ten prisoners have to share a single cell. They often spend the night on the cell floor. Water is only available in small quantities. Toiletries such as soap and toothbrushes are not available. There are no prison clothes or a change of underwear. Psychologically grueling interrogations take place at night, often lasting for hours. The interrogation officers also use violent methods to extort confessions.
The military tribunal
Sham legal proceedings
Only "courts of the military government" were allowed to rule on criminal acts against the occupying forces and all attempts to restore the Nazi regime. The Soviet Military Tribunals (SMT) were regarded as such in the Soviet Occupation Zone. As a rule, the state's SMT convened in the Schwerin courthouse. The defendants were mostly people accused of "counter-revolutionary crimes". The proceedings usually take place without the presentation of evidence, without a lawyer and without qualified interpreters.
This content has been machine translated.Price information:
Visiting the exhibitions and using the educational services of the Documentation Center are free of charge.
Location
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