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The Prison Museum of Sweden (Swedish: Sveriges Fängelsemuseum), located in Gävle, is dedicated to exploring the history of the Swedish penal system. The museum spans the Castle Jail (Swedish: Slottshäktet) and the County Prison (Swedish: Länscellfängelset). These two buildings illustrate the evolution of criminal punishment in Sweden, transitioning from public humiliation and corporal punishment to solitary confinement.[1][2]
The Castle Jail
editThe Castle Jail (Slottshäktet) is in the grounds of Gävle Castle. Originally built in the 16th century for food storage, it was repurposed in the 1600s as a county jail, primarily used to hold prisoners awaiting public punishment. After a fire in 1727, the building was reconstructed and completed in 1732..[2] Today, the Castle Jail is part of the museum and hosts exhibits on the severe punishments of the past, including the pillory,[3] flogging, wooden horse and executions.[4] The Castle Jail is where accused women were held during the Gävle witch trials of 1674-5. There is a dungeon from 1553, the oldest prison structure on the site[5]
The County Prison
editInaugurated in 1847, the County Prison (Länsfängelset) reflected a significant shift in Sweden's approach to incarceration. Designed by architect Carl Fredrik Hjelm, the prison was built according to the Philadelphia system, which emphasised solitary confinement[1]. The T-shaped building allowed for individual cells arranged along the outer walls of a central courtyard, intended to prevent prisoners from influencing each other negatively and to encourage personal reflection on their crimes.[5] However, the isolation of this system is known to have led to severe psychological distress among inmates.[6]
Over time, the County Prison underwent various modifications, including the addition of a carpentry workshop in the 1920s[7] and a gym in 1979. The prison closed in 1986[1], replaced by a more modern prison outside the city of Gävle.
The County Prison was declared a historical monument in 1998 and has since been restored.[1]. The museum now occupies ten cells on the second floor, featuring themed exhibits that reconstruct prison life from different periods[5]
The County Prison is the best-preserved example of 19th century prison architecture in Sweden, embodying penal philosophies of that century.[1]
Joe Hill Visitor Center
editThe Joe Hill Visitor Center is dedicated to the life and legacy of Joe Hill, born Joel Hägglund in Gävle in 1879. Hill, a prominent labor activist and protest singer in the United States, is remembered for his contributions to the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.) and his influence on the labor movement.[8] Joe Hill was executed in Utah in 1915 following a controversial murder conviction.[9] This came five years after the last execution to take place in Sweden itself.[10]
The Visitor Center is housed in the County Prison of Gävleborg (where Hill himself was never imprisoned). Today, the Center is maintained by the Prison Museum of Sweden.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Länsfängelset i". SFV (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ a b Kallings, Katarina (2022-10-10). "Skuggsidor: Självbilder, juridiska platser och berättelser från marginalen i Hälsingland" (PDF). Sveriges Fängelsemuseum. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "Utställning om skampålar ska fängsla". Gefle Dagblad (in Swedish). 2004-10-23. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ Kjellberg, Desirée (2017). "De offentliga avrättningsplatserna i Gävleborgs län" (PDF). Sveriges Fängelsemuseum. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ a b c "Sveriges Fängelsemuseum". Sveriges Fängelsemuseum (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "Fångsamhället som inte skulle finnas". Nättidningen Svensk Historia (in Swedish). 2019-11-15. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "Länsfängelset i Gävle". www.lansstyrelsen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ a b "Joe Hill Visitor Center". Joe Hill Visitor Center (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "Joe Hill | Folk singer, Labor activist, Union leader | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ Bruun, Jan Eric (2010-11-23). "Sista avrättningen i Sverige". Populär Historia (in Swedish). Retrieved 2024-09-28.