Formerly the business of jeweller Leopold Dahmen, the EL-DE Haus (which takes its name from his initials) became one of Cologne’s most notorious and feared addresses during WWII. Its basement was used to host a prison and torture chambers; despite heavy bombing campaigns, it survived the city’s many air raids. Since 1988, it has been the home of the NS-Documentation Center, a major research center and an award-winning museum that memorializes Nazi victims across wide-ranging exhibitions.
The EL-DE Haus is conveniently located in central Cologne. To reach the EL-DE Haus by public transportation, take the 3, 4, 5, 16, 18, or E trams to Köln Appellhofplatz station. The EL-DE Haus is also a short walk from the Cologne Central Station (Köln Hauptbahnhof), which is served by numerous mainline trains as well as the 5, 16, 18, and E trams.
The EL-DE Haus is open from 10am–6pm Tuesday–Friday and from 11am–6pm Saturday–Sunday (and on public holidays). It has special late-opening hours until 10pm on the first Thursday of every month. Weekends and summer months tend to be more crowded.
The EL-DE Haus hosts a busy events calendar throughout the year, and it’s worth researching its schedule before you travel. Offerings range from readings and lectures to workshops and cultural events.
