Unique Shopping Experience: Flowers and Crafts from Berlin’s Prisons
Berlin, May 4, 2026 – Berlin is set to host two distinctive shopping events this week, offering residents the chance to purchase plants and handcrafted items directly from correctional facilities. These initiatives aim to support the rehabilitation and vocational training of inmates.
Youth Prison Plant Sale: A Green Initiative
On Thursday, May 7th, the Berlin Youth Prison invites the public to its street sale. Located at Friedrich-Olbricht-Damm in Charlottenburg-Nord, the sale will feature a wide variety of flowers and utility plants for balconies and gardens. These plants have been cultivated by inmates in the prison’s own nursery under professional guidance.
Specialized staff from the Youth Prison will be on-site from 9:45 AM to 12:45 PM to sell the plants and provide expert advice. The Youth Prison emphasizes that its goal is to prepare young inmates for a crime-free life after release through education and qualification. This street sale tradition has been ongoing for over three decades.
The offerings include:
- Strawberry plants: 70 cents
- Geraniums: 2.00 Euros
- Balcony tomatoes: 2.50 Euros
- Dahlias: from 1.70 Euros
JVA Tegel Spring Bazaar: Crafts, Food, and Career Opportunities
Following the plant sale, on Saturday, May 9th, the JVA Tegel (Tegel Correctional Facility) will host its Spring Bazaar at the facility’s shop on Seidelstraße. From 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, visitors can find a diverse range of products, including bedding and balcony plants grown in-house. In addition to plants, the bazaar will feature:
- Flower arrangements
- Fire bowls
- Candle holders
- Birdhouses
- Small furniture items like stools, chairs, and footrests
The shop is located on the JVA Tegel premises at Seidelstraße 41, outside the main prison walls. Stalls will offer products from both JVA Tegel and the JVA for Women Berlin. Prices for items range from approximately 2 Euros for small decorative pieces to 200 Euros for a grill.
For those who wish to dine on-site, the bazaar will offer a variety of food options, including pea stew from a field kitchen, Bockwurst, Wiener sausages, and non-alcoholic beverages. Sweet treats such as cookies, fresh bread, and cakes will also be available, notably the Tegel ‘Weekend Cake,’ produced in JVA Tegel’s training bakery.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to gain insights into the justice system. In front of Gate I at Seidelstraße 39, the Berlin correctional services will provide information about career opportunities and entry-level positions within the system. Various associations and companies will also be present to introduce themselves.
It is important to note that inmates from JVA Tegel will not directly participate in the Spring Bazaar. However, incarcerated women housed in an open-custody facility will be present to sell their products.
