Stammheim Prison (German: Justizvollzugsanstalt Stuttgart-Stammheim) is a prison in Stuttgart, Baden Württemberg, Germany. It is situated on the northern boundaries of Stuttgart in the city district of Stuttgart-Stammheim, right between fields and apartment blocks on the fringes of Stammheim. The prison was built as a supermax prison between 1959 and 1963 and taken into operation in 1964.
Stammheim Prison became famous when it housed the leading members of the Red Army Factionurban guerrilla (RAF) group during their trials, as well as the courthouse in which they were tried. The section in which they were kept was specially built in 1975 and at the time recognised as one of the most secure prison blocks in the world: the roof and the courtyard was covered with steel mesh. During the night the precinct was illuminated by fifty-four spotlights and twenty-three neon bulbs. Special forces were guarding the roof, including snipers. Four hundred police officers along with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution patrolled the building. The mounted police officers oscillated on a double shift. One hundred more GSG-9 units reinforced the police during the trial. BKA agents guarded the front of the court area. Finally there were helicopters flying around the area.[1]
Ulrike Meinhof was found hanged on 9 May 1976. In the aftermath, prison censors allowed through parcels with instructions for the surviving prisoners to follow suit, complete with ropes "sufficient to do the job".[2]Andreas Baader, Gudrun Ensslin, and Jan-Carl Raspe reportedly committed suicide in the high security block during the night of 18 October 1977, which became known as the "Death Night" for the leaders of the Red Army Faction. Baader and Raspe were said to have shot themselves, whereas Ensslin apparently chose a method of supposed suicide similar to that of Meinhof. A fourth member, Irmgard Möller, allegedly stabbed herself four times in the chest with a stolen knife. She survived her suicide attempt and has since stated that the deaths were not suicide, but rather extrajudicial killings undertaken by the West German government of the time, a claim strongly denied by the German governments former and present.
The deaths of the prisoners were among the events collectively known as the German Autumn, which also included a series of terrorist attacks and the West German government's response.
Restructuring and extension (2005–17)edit
Officials in Baden-Württemberg announced in August 2007 plans to tear down the section of Stammheim prison where the leaders of the RAF terrorist group were held during the 1970s. They considered demolishing the high-rise building because it was in need of renovation and new prison quarters would be built on the site of the demolished building.[3] These plans were adjusted in the following years. Five additional buildings were built between 2007 and 2017, connected to a tract built in 2005. Together, the extensions can house up to 559 prisoners. The two original buildings were renovated from 2019 onwards to provide capacity for a total of 822 inmates in Stammheim prison.[4][5]
Referencesedit
^"Geschichte und Gebäude der Justizvollzugsanstalt Stuttgart". Retrieved 2007-05-30.
^Aust, Stefan (2008). "The Calf's Rope". Baader-Meinhof (Revised English ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 264–266. 'Well, some anonymous person sent a letter to the prisoners, with ropes or such things, telling them to go and hang themselves, and they got past the censor,' replied Bubeck. [...] 'Yes, it would have done the job,' agreed the prison officer [...] One deputy suggested, 'Perhaps they were sent pistols by post?' There was laughter.
stammheim, prison, german, justizvollzugsanstalt, stuttgart, stammheim, prison, stuttgart, baden, württemberg, germany, situated, northern, boundaries, stuttgart, city, district, stuttgart, stammheim, right, between, fields, apartment, blocks, fringes, stammhe. Stammheim Prison German Justizvollzugsanstalt Stuttgart Stammheim is a prison in Stuttgart Baden Wurttemberg Germany It is situated on the northern boundaries of Stuttgart in the city district of Stuttgart Stammheim right between fields and apartment blocks on the fringes of Stammheim The prison was built as a supermax prison between 1959 and 1963 and taken into operation in 1964 Panorama of Stammheim Prison as of 2007 Contents 1 History 1 1 Red Army Faction 1975 1 2 Faction member deaths 1976 77 1 3 Restructuring and extension 2005 17 2 References 3 External linksHistory editRed Army Faction 1975 edit Stammheim Prison became famous when it housed the leading members of the Red Army Faction urban guerrilla RAF group during their trials as well as the courthouse in which they were tried The section in which they were kept was specially built in 1975 and at the time recognised as one of the most secure prison blocks in the world the roof and the courtyard was covered with steel mesh During the night the precinct was illuminated by fifty four spotlights and twenty three neon bulbs Special forces were guarding the roof including snipers Four hundred police officers along with the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution patrolled the building The mounted police officers oscillated on a double shift One hundred more GSG 9 units reinforced the police during the trial BKA agents guarded the front of the court area Finally there were helicopters flying around the area 1 Faction member deaths 1976 77 edit nbsp Members of the Red Army Faction smuggled a pistol into the prison by concealing it in a book Ulrike Meinhof was found hanged on 9 May 1976 In the aftermath prison censors allowed through parcels with instructions for the surviving prisoners to follow suit complete with ropes sufficient to do the job 2 Andreas Baader Gudrun Ensslin and Jan Carl Raspe reportedly committed suicide in the high security block during the night of 18 October 1977 which became known as the Death Night for the leaders of the Red Army Faction Baader and Raspe were said to have shot themselves whereas Ensslin apparently chose a method of supposed suicide similar to that of Meinhof A fourth member Irmgard Moller allegedly stabbed herself four times in the chest with a stolen knife She survived her suicide attempt and has since stated that the deaths were not suicide but rather extrajudicial killings undertaken by the West German government of the time a claim strongly denied by the German governments former and present The deaths of the prisoners were among the events collectively known as the German Autumn which also included a series of terrorist attacks and the West German government s response Restructuring and extension 2005 17 edit Officials in Baden Wurttemberg announced in August 2007 plans to tear down the section of Stammheim prison where the leaders of the RAF terrorist group were held during the 1970s They considered demolishing the high rise building because it was in need of renovation and new prison quarters would be built on the site of the demolished building 3 These plans were adjusted in the following years Five additional buildings were built between 2007 and 2017 connected to a tract built in 2005 Together the extensions can house up to 559 prisoners The two original buildings were renovated from 2019 onwards to provide capacity for a total of 822 inmates in Stammheim prison 4 5 References edit Geschichte und Gebaude der Justizvollzugsanstalt Stuttgart Retrieved 2007 05 30 Aust Stefan 2008 The Calf s Rope Baader Meinhof Revised English ed Oxford University Press pp 264 266 Well some anonymous person sent a letter to the prisoners with ropes or such things telling them to go and hang themselves and they got past the censor replied Bubeck Yes it would have done the job agreed the prison officer One deputy suggested Perhaps they were sent pistols by post There was laughter http www dw world de dw article 0 2144 2718056 00 html Deutsche Welle news report Neue Unterkunftsgebaude fur die JVA Stuttgart ubergeben in German Baden Wurttemberg State 2017 10 20 Retrieved 2021 08 29 JVA Stuttgart Stammheim Gefahrliche Enge hinter Gittern in German Stuttgarter Nachrichten 2019 01 02 Retrieved 2021 08 29 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stammheim Prison Official website in German Sinnbild fur das Ende der Terroristen article about Stammhein Prison in the Stuttgarter Zeitung 48 51 17 N 9 9 18 E 48 85472 N 9 15500 E 48 85472 9 15500 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stammheim Prison amp oldid 1214395269, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
