NS-Dokumentationszentrum (EL-DE-Haus)
Memorial and museum in Cologne's former Gestapo headquarters — with preserved prison cells and prisoners' wall inscriptions surviving in the basement.
since 1979
The NS-Dokumentationszentrum of the City of Cologne is a museum, memorial, and research institution dedicated to Cologne's history during the National Socialist era from 1933 to 1945. It is housed in the EL-DE-Haus, the former Cologne Gestapo headquarters on Appellhofplatz.
At a Glance
- Type
- Museum, memorial, and research institution
- Location
- Appellhofplatz 23–25, Altstadt-Nord, Innenstadt district
- Building
- EL-DE-Haus, former Gestapo headquarters
- Centrepiece
- Gestapo Prison Memorial in the basement with preserved cells
- Permanent exhibition
- "Cologne under National Socialism," since 1997, across two floors
- Visitors
- Around 77,000 in 2015
The secret Gestapo prison cells in the basement of the EL-DE-Haus, with hundreds of inscriptions left by prisoners on the walls, lay hidden for decades behind shifted shelves – it was only in 1979 that Kurt Holl secretly photographed them overnight and brought them to public attention.
Things to do here
- Visit the preserved Gestapo prison cells in the basement
- Read the moving wall inscriptions left by the prisoners
- Explore the permanent exhibition “Cologne under National Socialism”
- Pause and remember in the courtyard, the former execution site
- Discover a changing special exhibition
- Reflect and learn about the Nazi era at the memorial
Age comparison
Age compared with other places in Cologne.
The Gestapo Prison in the Basement
The heart of the building is the memorial in the basement, where cells in which Gestapo prisoners were held have been preserved. The inmates inscribed the walls with messages that survive to this day. Since 2013, the inner courtyard — the former execution site — has also been open to visitors as a place of remembrance.
How the Memorial Came to Be
In March 1979, Kurt Holl publicly revealed that the former Gestapo cells, inscriptions intact, were still hidden behind shifted shelving in the archive basement of what was then a municipal building — documented by photographer Gernot Huber. Following public pressure, the city restored the basement and its inscriptions. The memorial opened on 4 December 1981. In 1987, Cologne City Council resolved to establish the NS-Dokumentationszentrum, which began its work in the EL-DE-Haus on 19 September 1988.
Exhibitions and Research
The permanent exhibition "Cologne under National Socialism," which opened in 1997, spreads across two floors and traces the Nazi era in the city. Several temporary exhibitions on local and regional themes are added each year. The research department develops the historical foundations for exhibitions, publications, and databases, with a particular focus on reconstructing records destroyed during and shortly after the war. The building also houses a specialist library with reading room, seminar rooms, and media facilities.
Education and Counselling
The centre is home to the Info- and Education Office against Right-Wing Extremism (ibs), which offers lesson units, workshops, and project days for young people and supports activities that foster a democratic culture. The ibs also runs a Mobile Counselling service against right-wing extremism across the Cologne administrative district, and a reporting centre for antisemitic incidents providing support for those affected.
Timeline
- März 1979Kurt Holl documents Gestapo cells with inscriptions in the EL-DE-Haus
- 4. Dezember 1981Opening of the Gestapo prison memorial in the basement of the EL-DE-Haus
- 1987Cologne city council resolves to establish the NS Documentation Centre
- 19. September 1988NS Documentation Centre begins operations in the EL-DE-Haus
- 25. März 1997Research unit placed on equal footing with city museums; permanent exhibition opens
- 5. Dezember 2002Werner Jung succeeds Horst Matzerath as director
- 2013Inner courtyard (former execution site) opened as a memorial space
- 1. November 2022Henning Borggräfe takes over as director of the NS Documentation Centre
Gallery
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
Address
Appellhofpl. 23-25
50667 Köln
Hours
Di: 10:00–18:00
Mi: 10:00–18:00
Do: 10:00–18:00
Fr: 10:00–18:00
Sa: 11:00–18:00
So: 11:00–18:00
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Sources & links
- Official website
- Wikidata (retrieved 2026-06-24)
- Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-06-24, rev 268069476)
- Official website (retrieved 2026-06-24)
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-26
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