Numbers

Stasi prison August 07, 1985

1’200 pieces today.

Can’t feel my right lower arm.

I will beat the 2’200/shift I swear!

Steel drawer sliders as produced by the political prisoners at MEWA Naumburg for IKEA.

And after that: I will reject to work for them.

Why should I work for the regime?

Right, I need the money.

Bastards!

The noise numbs the days.

In the evenings we share stories and drink tea.

A standard topic of our chats:

Who will leave next.

It’s math.

More than 80% leave between 2/3 and 3/4 of their sentence.

There was just one guy who left before half.

Could have been a spy though.

Stasi might plant people in the cells.

Criminals who earn a reduction.

Turned political prisoners.

About 10% have to do their entire time.

And they are released back home.

My worst nightmare!

We have one guy here with 11 of his 14 months.

He lives through this nightmare every day.

Especially Thursdays.

*Testimony -> Start. This blog entry is part of a linear narrated testimony of the contemporary witness Jens Thieme who was imprisoned 1985-1986 as a political prisoner in various GDR prisons by the GDR Ministry of State Security. Stasi prison, Stasi jail, Stasi detention.