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| German Inmates Cashing in on Prison Blues |
| By AFP |
| Published: 07/28/2003 |
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In all his time as workshop director at the Berlin-Tegel prison, Ulrich Fehlau would never have dreamed that clothes made by inmates could be sold as fashion garments, until he gave in to temptation. Told of the potential rewards to reap from behind bars, especially through the Internet, Fehlau went with the times and Tegel penitentiary launched its 'Haeftling', or detainee, line. Variations on the prison-wear theme have been made available in an on-line emporium at www.haeftling.de, and Fehlau says the results have been 'huge' since the prison opened its gates in cyberspace on July 11. 'They're stylish, simple, well-made, in a way that means we can sell them as fashion and lifestyle wear,' says Stephan Bohle, creative director at Herr Ledesi GmbH. The agency stumbled onto the idea when it began preparing a mock up for a poster competition it was taking part in. During that process, the staff 'discovered the potential of these products,' Bohle says. The poster, now an advertising tool, is set up ID photo style, with an inmate holding a small board but in place of the usual surname, name, format reads: 'Shirt, 29 euros'. Alongside the photograph: 'Haeftling. Jailwear since 1898.' The model is not a detainee as such, but 'out of concern for authenticity', is a former inmate out on parole. Behind bars, Haeftling puts to work around 50 of the 1,660 inmates at Tegel, one of the biggest facilities of its kind in Europe with 950 wardens. An order for a striped shirt with Mao-style collar, a Tegel standard, in khaki, orange, 'Alaska' blue, 'Air Force' blue, olive green, black or brown, can mean a two-month wait. Bohle's agency never did win that poster competition which started the whole Haeftling ball rolling, but the project has taken on a life of its own, exceeding all expectations and providing a valuable service to the community. 'We are certainly going to create plenty of work and more jobs at Tegel,' where around 40 percent of inmates are without jobs, says Bohle. |
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