From drug addict to beacon of hope: Winnender changes in prison
A 47-year-old prisoner in Stammheim uses the opportunity in prison to overcome his drug addiction. Current developments and backgrounds.

From drug addict to beacon of hope: Winnender changes in prison
A 47-year-old man from the Winnenden area has been in the Stuttgart-Stammheim correctional facility for one and a half years. How ZVW Reportedly, the man is a serious drug addict and has consumed large amounts of various drugs in the past. He has been in custody since the beginning of 2024.
The prisoner has made significant progress in custody. He has reduced the amount of the heroin replacement drug methadone by more than half, from 10 mg daily to 4 mg. This development shows that he sees his time in prison as an opportunity for rehabilitation.
The Stuttgart-Stammheim correctional facility
The Stuttgart correctional facility was opened in September 1963 and consists of modern buildings. It comprises a total of three building complexes: the prison area, the administration rooms and the workshops. The area is around 50,000 square meters and was built to high security standards.
The institution has become known beyond the country's borders, particularly through the imprisonment of members of the Red Army faction. A special multi-purpose building was built in 1975 for the trial of these members and today serves as an office building. Despite its long service life, the institution is continually renovated and renovated to meet modern requirements. A new gate guard building was opened in 2009 and the expansion of three new detention buildings was completed in 2018.
Current developments in prison
The case of the 47-year-old man from Winnenden sheds light on the challenges many inmates face. Through drug rehabilitation programs and support within the correctional facility, inmates are given the opportunity to improve their living situations. The progress of the affected person, who was able to reduce his methadone dose so significantly, represents a positive example of what working towards a better return to society can look like.
The commitment of the Stuttgart-Stammheim correctional facility to the rehabilitation of its inmates shows that a stay in prison can also be viewed as an opportunity to change your life. This is further underpinned by the investments in the maintenance and modernization of the facility.