Steinwache

It soon had a reputation as Die Hölle von Westdeutschland ("The hell of western Germany").

In the early years of the regime the inmates were primarily members of the communist and social democratic opposition.

During World War II foreign forced labourers made up the largest group of prisoners.

In contrast to most of Dortmund's city center, the Steinwache wasn't heavily damaged during the war.

Since 1992 it is the permanent location of the exhibition Widerstand und Verfolgung in Dortmund 1933–1945 ("Resistance and Persecution in Dortmund 1933-1945"), which demonstrates the persecution under National Socialism with many photographs, short texts and sometimes with reports from contemporary witnesses.