Craftsmanship in Rheinbach Prison: 28.800 seconds of freedom daily

Behind high walls and heavy iron bars, five inmates at Rheinbach Prison have successfully completed their modular partial qualification in the field of woodworking. Thomas Radermacher, President of the Cologne Chamber of Skilled Crafts, presented them with their certificates.

His room is approximately ten square meters and furnished with the usual items such as a bed, wardrobe, table, chair, and a shelf on the wall. A window overlooks the courtyard. As on every morning, his workday begins at 6:00 a.m., is briefly interrupted by a lunch break, and ends at 2:15 p.m. He often uses the afternoons to review what he has learned.

By the time Medi* returns to his temporary home after work, he has already covered several kilometers and passed through several heavily secured doors – always accompanied by a correctional officer. The 45-year-old is one of five inmates at the facility. Rheinbach Prison, who have successfully completed the modular partial qualification in the field of wood.

What's needed are perseverance, social skills, and self-motivation.

At the start of the course, nine men were registered. The fact that the number of participants has since almost halved illustrates the particular challenges the project presents: the inmates must possess perseverance, social skills, and self-motivation. Those with substance abuse issues are not admitted. The certificates were presented by the President of Chamber of Crafts Cologne, Thomas Radermacher, during a personal visit to the detention center in mid-November.

Markus Geszler, chief foreman at the prison, had the idea for this course format, which he developed together with his Colleague Mitja Bayer and Frederic Poschmann implements: "The idea of ​​combining crafts and incarceration has been around for a long time. Two institutions in North Rhine-Westphalia are already doing this. The project became concrete for us about a year and a half ago and then required another six months of preparation time."

Unlike regular apprenticeships, the requirements for working with hand tools in the prison are particularly strict: "The participants are very carefully selected. Everyone had a personal interview beforehand. The tool inventory is checked for completeness after each course, and the inmates are scanned with a sensor. There are clear rules for handling the tools. Despite all safety precautions, a residual risk cannot be completely ruled out." 

The works created during the course were exhibited at the Chamber of Skilled Crafts (HWK) certificate presentation. Photo: © Alexander Barth

The second course has now started. Geszler sees the course as "Plan B to how the inmates have lived their lives so far. Work is a tool to engage them, motivate them, and provide structure." Geszler is a master carpenter himself and therefore authorized to instruct and train the participants. "With this course, I can combine my love of craftsmanship with a socially relevant aspect for society."

Wood, as a material, offers quick access to craftsmanship and a tactile experience. Wooden stools, chairs, side tables, chessboards, and devil's knots were crafted during the course. "Our TSM1 course (Carpenter-Joiner Machine Operator Certificate 1), also part of the woodworking qualification course, enables participants to safely operate woodworking machines such as saws and planers. This is a huge advantage after release from prison because it incurs no additional costs for the company and allows the individual to work independently."

Rheinbach Prison currently houses 578 inmates aged between 24 and 82. Their offenses include fraud, assault, theft, and murder, resulting in sentences of varying lengths. Upon arrival, all personal belongings are surrendered to a designated cell within the prison. A wedding ring, for example, could be considered a personal item that the inmate is allowed to keep.

"It can't be of very high value and nothing that could later be sold," Geszler explained. Besides personal belongings, the "chamber" provides inmates with prison-issued clothing, linens, and essential items. Food is provided entirely by the prison, and inmates can purchase personal items, such as chocolate, once a week.

Inmates can subscribe to radio, TV, or a newspaper, and there is also a library. There are set quotas for visits and phone calls, which can be used. The numbers are verified beforehand. "Writing a letter is a very traditional way to stay in touch with family and friends," he reports. Prison director Renate Gaddum"Rheinbach Prison is its own little world. We have a church, an infirmary, a kitchen, a canteen, and offer various sports activities such as football, weight training, or table tennis, which can be used during the one-hour free period each day."

Working in a prison is challenging.

In addition to the woodworking shop, the grounds also house other craft workshops such as a bookbindery and a metalworking shop. In most cases, inmates are housed in single cells. In exceptional cases, for example at the prisoner's request, accommodation in double cells is possible. During the evening "lockdown," inmates are permitted to visit other inmates in their cells.

Renata Gaddum describes her work in the prison as challenging, "because you are constantly dealing with new people and new situations. You encounter people with a refugee background, trauma, mental illnesses, or people who started using drugs at an early age. That makes me appreciate our teamwork all the more."

Medi will already be employed as a foreman in the next course.

She often hears from people who work temporarily in the prison, observing and working in the public prosecutor's office, psychology, or social work departments: "I imagined it would be completely different. Not so humane." The courteous and friendly contact with the inmates is also evident in her encounter with Medi. It's his second time incarcerated. His performance in the woodworking skills course was so impressive that he's been assigned as a foreman in the follow-up course.

"It's a wonderful feeling to have received the certificate. I've used my time wisely and effectively over the past six months for my future. This will make it easier for me to find jobs later on. Mr. Geszler was a strict but fair and excellent instructor," Medi says proudly. "Wood is everywhere in life, whether it's a table, a bed, or a chest of drawers; we can't do without it. We worked with different types of wood and learned how versatile the material is."

Work, books, and practicing one's faith have become luxuries for the former security guard in prison. "I've made peace with my former life. Now I have the time to work on myself. If you invest something, something good comes of it. Even in prison, I try to avoid contact with other inmates—for my own protection. Figuratively speaking, you can be a good driver and still encounter someone who can't drive."

If prison has taught him one thing, what is it? "To have patience. In prison, you can't do anything for yourself; you're completely controlled by others. I want to put the copy of my certificate in my folder. I have to ask the officers for that, which takes about a day." When he gets back to his "hut" in the afternoon—that's what he affectionately calls his cell—he'll have worked 28.800 seconds in what feels like freedom. One can only hope that this will soon turn into a life sentence. Lifelong freedom.

*To protect the privacy rights of the person depicted, we have blurred any tattoos in the photo and changed the name.

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