Photos: Frank Vincentz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Flocci Nivis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Johann Friedrich Bause / After Johann Sebastian Bach, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo credits
Photos: Frank Vincentz, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Flocci Nivis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 Johann Friedrich Bause / After Johann Sebastian Bach, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Runde Ecke: inside the old Stasi headquarters
Your local guide
Nadine Fischer
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Highlights
- A headquarters occupied by its own citizens
- Surveillance gear disguised as ordinary objects
- An office preserved as it was left
- December 1989, explained on site
- The scale of a surveillance archive
About this tour
This session looks at the Runde Ecke, the former regional Stasi headquarters, from its street corner entrance to a preserved office and the archive corridor beyond. You see the building citizens occupied in December 1989 to stop files being destroyed. The route ends near the archive rooms, giving a sense of the scale of material kept there.
We begin outside with a short sound check before moving to the preserved office. I move slowly through the rooms, since there is a lot to take in, and leave plenty of space for questions about the surveillance methods shown. Afterwards I send a short note on the museum and further reading on the period.
This suits anyone with a serious interest in East German history and how ordinary citizens changed its ending. It pairs well with the Nikolaikirche session for the fuller story of 1989.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 7 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Leipzig before heading out.
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The building's entrance 21 min
The camera takes in the corner building that once housed the regional Stasi headquarters, and I explain how it was occupied by citizens in December 1989 to stop the destruction of files.
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A preserved office 21 min
We look through a preserved office set up as it was left, and I point out the surveillance equipment on display, some of it disguised inside ordinary objects.
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The archive corridor 21 min
The route ends near the archive rooms, and I explain the scale of the paper files the citizens' committee found and later worked to preserve.
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Your questions 14 min
Time to ask anything about Leipzig: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 6 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Leipziger Allerlei (mixed vegetables and dumplings) and Südvorstadt, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Berlin time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 10 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Leipzig, showing you The building's entrance and A preserved office live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet; the link comes with your booking. I walk Leipzig live with my phone.
Times shown in Berlin time (CET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 5 Nov · 10 seats left From 26,00 €
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