The "Runde Ecke" Memorial Museum is located in the same building which housed the Leipzig District Council for State Security for 40 years: the so-called "sword and shield" of the SED (Socialist Unity Party of Germany) dictatorship. Today, guests are able to learn about the different functions, operations and history of the Ministry for State Security (MfS) in the former offices of Stasi officers. As an authentic historical site, the "Runde Ecke" Memorial Museum tells the story of the repression and oppression in the GDR and retraces the events surrounding the Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig.
Access to cultural programmes
In order to teach refugees and asylum seekers living in Germany about the country's recent history, the "Runde Ecke" Memorial Museum has created Arabic language programmes. These include information about our country's central values of freedom, democracy and rule of law, as well as a focus on the dangers of totalitarian political systems.
As part of the new set-up, the museum is now offering Arabic audio guides for the permanent exhibition "Stasi - Macht und Banalität" (Stasi - Power and Banality) and an Arabic version of the app "Leipzig'89" which acts as a multimedia guide to the open-air exhibition "Orte der Friedlichen Revolution" (Sites of the Peaceful Revolution). Arabic-speaking visitors can use the app at their own pace in 20 original locations around the city of Leipzig to learn more about the democratic movement of 1989/90. "It is a give and take. Not only can refugees and asylum seekers learn lots from our programmes, but the arrangement also enables us to learn more and more and so improve the ways we live and work together," said Tobias Hollitzer.
Opening times and guided tours
The "Runde Ecke" Museum is open daily from 10am - 6pm. Public tours start daily at 3pm, guided tours (also in foreign languages) are available by arrangement.
The city walk entitled "On the Trail of the Peaceful Revolution" takes place every Saturday at 2pm, meeting at the main entrance of the St. Nicholas Church.