55 minutes in Patarei prison [EN]

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In September 2016, traveling by our motorcycles with my friend Alkis, we made a three-week trip, mainly to western Russia and the Baltic countries. So, we were in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. Undoubtedly, it's a great travel destination. The feeling of the medieval old town, with its perfectly maintained wall surrounding it, contributes to this. But beyond everything that will conjure and fascinate the visitor, Tallinn hides a dark secret, within walking distance of its center.

By reading guides for points of interest in the city, you will meet the expected tourist suggestions, often avoiding any reference to the Patarei fortress. This has prompted me with curiosity because of a quick search on the Internet, I did not find any entry on Wikipedia or even an official page except http://www.patarei.org/eng/ containing some pictures and basic information. But by no means the volume you would expect for such a large historic complex of buildings.

foto: deepbaltic.com

Few historical facts: In about 1820, Tsar Nicholas I of Russia ordered the fort to be built to protect St. Petersburg, the capital of the Russian Empire, as well as the sea routes to and from it. The construction was completed in 1840, and with the fall of the Tsar, it ceased to function. In 1867 it functioned as a barrack and from 1919 to 2004 as a prison.

We decided to visit it since it was just outside the city, about fifteen minutes on foot. What we saw by approaching the outer fence gave us the impression of total abandonment. A creepy jail, which remained as it was left by the German and Soviet occupation forces, who at times ruled Estonia. Approaching more, I realized what would follow.

The place seemed totally deserted. Wire mesh stretched out on high tiles. The building was imposing and enormous. We explored the outdoors awkwardly since there was no sign of where the entrance was or where to move.

A little further, under a temporary shelter, there was a lady who cut tickets. She was not willing to explain anything and she did not even have a brochure with information to give. She received 2 euros for the entrance, and without moving a cm from the stove burning beside her, showed me that it was 17.05' and that in 55 minutes the fortress would be closed. I had to rush. Alkis then explained to me that he had seen enough and wanted to leave. I walked in from the main entrance to the inner courtyard of the prison. I met a group of visitors who were chatting and i stood next to them because the word KGB i heard from them was of great interest. From them, I learned that Patarei Prison had a capacity of about 2,000 prisoners, which was overtaken to about 4,600. Also, during the Soviet era, the KGB had custody of the prison, and here the political dissidents and hard criminals were held together. The killings were not unusual, and in the execution room, the KGB agents were simply shooting the convicted prisoners on the back of their heads after kneeling them on the floor with their head toward the wall. I left them when they started talking about a room where psychic experiments took place. My time passed quickly.

In the courtyard, I read a "walking ground" sign. It is probably some type of entertainment - fitness area. In Paterei, however, this term meant something else. It was nothing more than a dozen small courtyards enclosed by a tall cement wall. A series of rooms, without a roof, covered with wire mesh and a safe corridor for the guard-keeper. I can say that it was by far the least entertaining area I have seen. I wonder how the guard could see the inmates as they walked around the few steps they had to walk, "enjoying" the Baltic Sea air, for one hour every week, only those who had the privilege of being in the yard.

I tried to get into the building opposite the courtyard. I found the door open at the main entrance, but the dark corridor led to locked doors and locked spaces. Next door, I found another entrance. I climbed a few steps and found myself in a room that had a unique light source, a small tall skylight. I did not have a flashlight with me. I turned my camera in flash mode, turned my lens and waited in the dark for the preview. I saw a large hole in the floor, half-covered with some pieces of wood. Luckily I did not step any further. I did not know where I was then. Later I found out that in this room before the W.W. 2 and until 1991, prisoners were hanged. Then the bodies were thrown into the sea in front of the prison. The photo shows the point where the hook was located, above the hole in the floor. In this dark cellar, it seemed like the air did not come in at all. Probably because here suffered so many people. Something is still left here. I can not explain it any better. Go see it yourself.

In the main building of the complex, the cells caused me a great impression, in particular, their size. It could have been around fifty square meters, maybe more. Not bad. Most had windows overlooking the sea. Of course, the building was built to serve as a fortress, so all this is explained. In another cell, there were still beds. I counted about thirty. They were positioned along the wall, leaving very little space for movement.. Every room had one toilet. A toilet for thirty people, you do not call it ideal. (Detail in the toilet, but also in other walls of the cells, collage with pornographic material). In another cell, I saw a chair that had a big dirty hole in the center of the seat. What sick invention was it? A host ceremony for the newcomers maybe...

Many of the cells contained frescoes or some simple slogans. Some of them were old, while others were definitely more modern. Probably in some cells an event or exhibition of works of art took place, since I found them electrified, too clean and tidy.

The cell that impressed me the most was with a huge old fresco with a battle between knights and a naked woman. What was the prisoner who created it, thinking of? *
In the cells and in many places on the corridors, I saw fallen books and comics. I found where they came from. A small library with a wooden floor and dust. Shelves were empty. Some did not return the books they borrowed. Tragic irony for the prison standards was that there were works by Voltaire in the library.

In the cells, but also in all areas, the sense of constant humidity certainly functioned as a mean of psychological pressure. It is more than certain that prisoners used to suffer from any kind of illness.

In this poster, I did not understand what exactly was written. But the eye fell on familiar words. It warned the prisoners about gonorrhea and the prison's highest prize, HIV virus.

A corridor led me to the prison hospital. There were two sites that served as an operating room. In both of them there were surgical lights hanging from the ceiling and in one room, there was a very strange surgical table there, just by itself. Circular medical equipment, different materials in wardrobes and some old medical devices with rusty counters. I observed the rotten bed frames. In one, there was still a dirty cloth, possibly from blood. In this room, time seemed to be of no importance. The atmosphere was heavy. I felt something to watch my every move and definitely did not want me there. And of course, I would not want darkness to find me there. I saw enough and decided to leave.

This room reminded me of a book I had read about a corresponding prison in a neighboring Balkan country. In that prison, as in Patarei, during the Soviet era, political detainees who "volunteered" took part in psychological experiments. To those who seemed to like the capitalist ideas, were given strong doses of psychotropic drugs, which inevitably led them to madness. This eventually warranted further continuation of their detention. At Patarei, the hospital was operating until the prison was closed, that is, the year 2004. It is the same year that its most important event is the launch of Facebook.

I did not realize that my time was up. It was almost six. Then I realized that the last people I saw were a long time ago in the yard. I was probably the last visitor. I was anxious, as in any place I moved, I was completely alone and unconfirmed. I would not be impressed if the employee at the entrance had already forgotten me. I rushed down the stairs and my eye fell into a fresco. A feminine figure with bloody eyes, next to the gates leading to the cells, welcomes the newly arrived. On her forehead, I saw a written "whore of Tallin", by analogy, rather, the "prostitute of Babylon."

My stomach was like a knot. Below, at the center of the staircase, I saw a wooden box standing up and something like it was moving from the inside. I froze. After all, I was not alone? Two little girls, as if taken from Kubrick's "The Shining", thought it would be a good idea to be there at that time and to take photos of themselves that way in that box. I do not remember the last time that I was so scared. Exiting the prison the air was already different. More enjoyable, lighter. Next to the prison, there was a naval museum with various exhibits in its surroundings. Among other things, there was a wooden miniature submarine.

These have helped me to convey my thoughts to something more enjoyable. Returning to Patarei, outside and on the seaside, I sat on a bench and enjoyed the last daylight (but also my freedom).

I personally think that my visit to the Patarei Fortress was the best that Tallinn could have shown me. Unfortunately, the complex is no longer accessible and its future is uncertain.