100 Faces of Repression in the GDR: Gazes the Dictatorship could not Silence
Portraits of Political Prisoners Under the Stasi Regime
April 24th, 2025
From April 9 to May 7, 2025, the Paul-Löbe-Haus of the German Bundestag hosts the exhibition “Staatssicherheitsinhaftierung: 100 Portraitaufnahmen 2023–2024,” by photographer André Wagenzik. The exhibition, organized with institutional support, features one hundred portraits of individuals who were imprisoned for political reasons in the German Democratic Republic (GDR).
The initiative highlights the human dimension of the state repression exercised during the socialist dictatorship of the GDR. The author, André Wagenzik, was arrested for political reasons in 1983 and later released through the "prisoner buy-back" program initiated by the Federal Republic of Germany. Since 1992, he has worked as an independent photographer in Berlin. His personal involvement adds authenticity and testimonial value to the series. The exhibition is supported by the Bundestag and is part of the commemorative activities for the 35th anniversary of German reunification.
During the years of the GDR, it is estimated that more than 250,000 people were detained for political reasons. The Ministry for State Security (Stasi) used imprisonment as a tool of repression, combined with intensive surveillance, disinformation, and psychological pressure. The Berlin-Hohenschönhausen prison, where Wagenzik was held, served as a preventive detention center until 1989. Prisoners underwent systematic interrogations and prolonged isolation. In many cases, their sentences stemmed from acts of protest, attempts to flee, or simple criticism of the regime.
The portraits in the exhibition bring together 100 individuals who experienced this repressive context. The selection underscores the diversity of affected profiles and the broad scope of repression exercised. Through documentary photography, the exhibition aims to preserve historical memory, promote institutional recognition, and raise awareness of the authoritarian mechanisms of recent history in Germany. The parliamentary setting of the exhibition symbolizes the current democracy's commitment to the principles of freedom, justice, and memory.
The exhibition can be visited from April 9 to May 7, 2025, at the Paul-Löbe-Haus (west entrance, Konrad-Adenauer-Straße 1, Berlin), Monday through Friday between 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM. Pre-registration is required at least two business days in advance. Guided tours with direct witnesses will be offered on April 11, 16, 23, and 30. Registrations and more information: www.bundestag.de/besuche/ausstellungen
