Varsavia, Berlino, Roma: carceri come «lieux de mémoire»

Abstract

The article proposes a “stroll” through three European capitals, during which we linger in some places indicative of the different countries’ attitude towards social memory and historical policies. These structures, formerly used as prisons, have been turned into museums and memorials. Their architecture and set-up are symptomatic not only of how public discourse refers to the more or less recent national history but also, in general, to the institution of prison. The most recent Museum-Memorial mentioned here is The Cells of the Secret Police in Warsaw (2018), while the oldest building is the Mamertine Prison in Rome, dating back to the 7th century b.c.e.