Exactly 200 years ago, on 30 July 1822, one of nine "detention cells" that then existed at the University of Jena is said to have been "decorated" in a single day. According to the oft-told story, imprisoned student Martin Disteli painted numerous scenes, mostly caricatures of people, on the walls of the approximately 15-square-metre cell, using blood, excrement and other organic materials. However, a recently started restoration of the historical cell has already shown this is only a legend, which means that part of Jena University’s history will have to be rewritten.
Thuringia’s only historical student detention cell
For a long time, Jena University’s former student prison - the "Karzer" or detention cell - was only opened on special occasions. ...
