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Christmas behind bars: Prisoners celebrate with music and Advent magic
In Neustrelitz, prisoners celebrate Christmas with music, Advent activities and festive traditions for rehabilitation.
Christmas behind bars: Prisoners celebrate with music and Advent magic
In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the run-up to Christmas is not simply ignored in prisons. The prisoners experience festive days that are strongly influenced by the idea of rehabilitation. Justice Minister Jacqueline Bernhardt (Left) emphasizes the importance of the holidays: Christmas promotes a sense of responsibility and community, two central aspects that are of great importance for reintegration after release from prison. Schwerin locally reports that Christmas preparations are already in full swing in four correctional facilities - Bützow, Stralsund, Waldeck and Neustrelitz.
The prisoners create an inviting atmosphere with festive decorations. In front of the Stralsund JVA there is a lovingly designed wooden candle arch from the prison workshop. In addition, the Waldeck prison has built its own large Advent calendar, which reflects the anticipation of the inmates. Musical activities are also not neglected: a prison choir in Waldeck is rehearsing for a concert to which relatives are invited, while brass bands perform in the various institutions. In Neustrelitz, the local band “Jill Tonic” provides the musical backdrop for the Christmas party.
Community and holidays
But it's not just the cultural performances that make Christmas in prisons special. Bernhardt emphasized that the celebrations have a strong emotional and social function. On Christmas Eve she will personally come to the Waldeck JVA to distribute gifts that were collected in collaboration with pastoral care and the prison advisory board. Clubs also contribute to the collection of gifts so that the prisoners do not go away empty-handed.
The Christmas activities also include numerous community events. Not only is there baking together, but there is also sport in the form of tournaments - skat, table tennis, table football and darts are on the program. Church services and family afternoons for the children of prisoners strengthen family bonds that are often strained by a stay in prison. In Bützow and Neustrelitz, special events were set up for the children to give them a little joy.
Festive foods
Don't forget the culinary highlights of the holidays! On Christmas Eve there is a simple but popular dish on the table: potato salad with sausages. On Christmas Day, inmates enjoy different festive menus depending on the prison, including duck leg with red cabbage or rabbit leg with dumplings. In Stralsund there is a delicious duck leg for the second holiday. The time also reports on the festive atmosphere and the variety of activities.
These festive days are more than a simple Christmas party; they create moments of normality and humanity that are essential for rehabilitation. At a time that is characterized by loneliness for many, these activities offer a welcome opportunity for networking and exchange.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania shows that Advent has a place even behind prison walls, giving both prisoners and those responsible hope for a better future.