Bremen prison — 12 September 2025. “Daddy!” The word echoed across the sports hall of Bremen correctional facility as a three-year-old girl in a pink princess dress ran toward her father. The man, standing stiff and emotionless only moments before, dropped to his knees, opened his arms wide and held her tightly as she buried herself in his embrace. Tears welled in his eyes. The little girl was carrying a small toy doctor’s kit with a stethoscope, thermometer and bandages. A birthday gift from her grandparents, she wanted nothing more than to show it to her father.
At the far end of the hall, the man stood still, his face expressionless. But when his daughter spotted him, his expression softened. He dropped to his knees, opened his arms wide and caught her as she ran, her shoes squeaking on the gym floor. He held her close, burying his face in her curls, his shoulders shaking with emotion.
This reunion took place during “Game with Mum & Dad” day — an initiative organised by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) and implemented locally by Hoppenbank. For four hours, four children played with their four imprisoned fathers and four caregivers in the the Bremen prison gym, which for the day was filled with balls, mats, paints and a large trampoline. It smelled of gym floors and for once the air was filled not with silence or restraint, but with children’s laughter.
with his 2-year-old son
“It would be cool if something like this happened more often.” — child, Bremen Prison, Germany
The father and daughter wasted no time. Together they conquered the trampoline, the child laughing and stumbling, always caught by her father’s hands. Later he carried her piggyback, galloping across the hall like a horse while she squealed, “Faster, Daddy!” At a small table, she painted with great seriousness, then decorated the page with dinosaur stickers before handing it proudly to him. He accepted it as if it were a treasure — perhaps it was.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this project.“ — imprisoned father, Bremen Prison, Germany
Nearby, the girl’s mother watched. A quiet, friendly woman with tired but warm eyes, she spoke softly about what the event meant. “This time together is so important,” she said. “My husband and our daughter… they need this. And for me, it was good to talk with the other mothers. You often feel so alone with all this. But today was lovely.” Another participant added: “Thank you for inviting us to participate.”
As the afternoon ended, the atmosphere grew heavy. Goodbyes are the hardest part. Children clung to their fathers, tears flowing, while the men tried to appear strong. The little girl in the princess dress nestled into her father’s arms, unwilling to let go.
“Daddy’s staying here, right?” she asked quietly. He nodded, stroking her back and kissing her forehead. “But you’ll be back soon, won’t you?” he whispered. She nodded in return.
Finally, her mother took her hand. The father stood, wiping his eyes with his sleeve, offering only a last wave and a final look before leaving the hall. In his hand, he carried the dinosaur picture. Moments later, the gym was silent again. No more squeaking shoes, no laughter. Just the memory of a few precious hours — for a girl who could call out “Daddy,” and for a father who, for a short time, could forget where he was.
“It meant a lot to me today. It was nice to just spend time with the children and play without it being so loud in the visiting room and with officials watching all the time.”
— imprisoned father, Bremen Prison, Germany
The “Game with Mum & Dad” project is organised by Children of Prisoners Europe (COPE) and made possible with the support of the European Commission and UEFA Foundation for Children. It follows a model created and developed by Bambinisenzasbarre, which works nationwide in Italy. The Project aims to strengthen, maintain and enhance the bond between children and their imprisoned parents, and to generate systemic, child rights–based change across prison systems.
The project includes a multi-month programme during which imprisoned parents, their children and family members—supported by educators—are monitored and involved in a series of meetings. The programme culminates in the “Game with Mum & Dad” match.
Rita Metzner, social worker at Hoppenbank, contributed to this article.
