• ... shows the Christmas edition of the prisoners' newspaper "Echo" from 1976.
• Prison newspapers such as the "Echo" were not journalistically free media. They worked in the field of tension between the prison management and prisoners, so that the editorial space had to be negotiated and fought for again and again.
• The front page shown here focuses on the problematic situation of prisoners around Christmas.

The Aachen City Archive regularly presents interesting items from its stacks as Archive of the Month. The item with a short accompanying text is presented in a display case in the foyer of the city archive on Reichsweg and digitally on the archive's homepage. In December 2024, the Archivale of the Month shows the Christmas edition of the prisoner newspaper "Echo" from 1976.

Supported by Aachener Zivilgesellschaft
In 1974, the prisoner newspaper "Echo" was published for the first time in Aachen Prison. The editorial team consisted of men who were serving their sentences there. The newspaper was supported by Aachen's civil society, the Aachen Prison Association, and was initially networked with similar projects via the "Arbeitsgemeinschaft Deutsche Gefangenenpresse" (German Prison Press Working Group) and the "Pressedienst Deutscher Gefangenenzeitungen" (Press Service of German Prison Newspapers). From the end of 1977, the head of Aachen Prison was named as the publisher - as expressly stated in the imprint, on the "orders of the President of the Prison Service". The newspaper was published approximately every two to three months with a circulation of 300 to 1,000 copies.

Prison newspapers such as the "Echo" were not journalistically free media. Rather, they worked in the field of tension between the prison management and prisoners, so that the editorial scope had to be constantly renegotiated and fought for. This is reflected in the changing subtitles of the "Echo" as "Prisoners' newspaper in Aachen Prison" (1975), "Prisoners' newspaper of Aachen Prison" (1976), "A magazine by prisoners for prisoners" (1977), "A prisoners' newspaper" (1977) and finally "Prisoners' newspaper of Aachen Prison".

The idea of resocialization
Projects such as "Echo" offered people in prison the opportunity to participate in the various stages of production, from writing their own texts to defining the content and designing the print templates. This was in line with the idea of resocialization. The prisoners were able to express their experiences, feelings, hopes and demands and share them with readers inside and outside the prison. To a limited extent, there were also texts that criticized the penal system, the prison and social inequality or addressed specific grievances.

The cover page from 1976 shown here addresses the problematic situation of prisoners around Christmas. The minimalist black and white graphic is based on a grid that visually blurs into a gray surface. On top of this is a smaller grid in the form of a cell window, from which a white speech bubble with the lyrics of the Christmas carol "Silent Night, Holy Night" emerges. The graphic creates a bleak and oppressive atmosphere beyond the usual Christmas symbols.

Inside the 34-page booklet is a greeting from the prison warden. He wishes the prisoners "that Christmas will not be overshadowed by sadness and despondency in this prison either". This is followed by an experimental text by a prisoner who contrasts "these disgustingly sweet little songs" of the Christmas season with a dreary social reality. The text ends with the question, "what will my judges do now [...] and first my public prosecutor ha ha ha", followed by a Christmassy "schlaaaaf in himmlischer Ruuuuhh" and a Christmas tree made up of question marks.

"A prisoner's thoughts on Christmas"
In the article "A prisoner's thoughts on Christmas", a prisoner writes about the widespread wish that the "high lords of justice" should also have their Christmas "messed up", but points out: "Surely we have all had our experiences with 'justice', but on days like these we should take stock for once, really 'reflect'. It is certainly worthwhile for some people to do this!!!". Last but not least, he paid tribute to the support of relatives, "who really care about our problems, but are often more seriously affected than we are."