Hidden behind trees on the promenade encircling Münster’s old town, the Zwinger may look like a quiet ruin but its stones are soaked with centuries of violence. Originally built in the 16th century as part of the city’s fortifications, this stout stone structure once protected Münster from outside threats. But in the 20th century, during the Nazi regime, the Zwinger was used by the Gestapo as a prison, interrogation center, and execution site.
Prisoners held here were often political dissenters, resistance fighters, or simply people caught in the machinery of repression. In the final days of World War II, several were murdered on the site as the Nazi regime collapsed. After the war, the Zwinger remained a decaying reminder of what had happened within its walls.
