Memorial in Weihenstephan: Remembering persecuted TUM professors

Memorial in Weihenstephan: Remembering persecuted TUM professors

The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is sending a strong symbol of remembrance on its campus in Weihenstephan. On November 4, 2025, memorial plaques were unveiled there for four professors who were persecuted and dismissed during National Socialist rule. This initiative is part of a larger effort by the university to confront its past and deal with its involvement in National Socialism. According to the South German newspaper The plaques commemorate the professors Anton Fehr, Hans Raum, Carl Sachs and Kurt Trautwein, whose fates were brought into focus at this ceremony.

The memorial in Weihenstephan is not only intended to remember, but also to encourage a critical examination of the past. Prof. Winfried Nerdinger, who works as Emeritus of Excellence at TUM and founded the NS Documentation Center, initiated this project. At a time when the Nazi era is often only discussed sporadically, TUM ensures that the stories of these professorial victims are honored. The plaques were installed in the central lecture hall building at the Maximus von Imhof Forum and provide information about the connection between the Nazi regime and the Munich Technical University, according to the TUM.

The four professors mentioned had their chairs withdrawn between 1934 and 1936, but for significantly different reasons. Anton Fehr, an agricultural scientist and clear opponent of the Nazi regime, was forced into retirement in 1935 and was only rehabilitated after the war. Hans Raum, a renowned professor of plant breeding, was forced into retirement in 1934 for political reasons, but was able to return in 1946 and was later politically active in the CSU. Kurt Trautwein, who was persecuted for his critical stance and his Jewish wife, also fell victim to political arbitrariness. Carl Sachs, who taught economics and agricultural policy as an expert, was forced into retirement in 1934 and fought in vain for redress after the war.

A place for reflection and remembrance

The memorial in Weihenstephan is part of a longer-term strategy at TUM, which began in 2018 with an exhibition and a book about its involvement during National Socialism. Next year, 17 more boards will be installed in Munich for dismissed professors. These steps are part of an extensive process of coming to terms with the situation that the university has been pursuing for years and which also takes into account dark chapters in its own history.

On a larger scale, the federal government is currently working on further projects to advance the investigation of Nazi crimes. Under the leadership of Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer, a total of 13 new projects are being funded that are linked to Nazi history, including a focus on train stations as places of persecution. As the Federal Government reports, this program aims to raise awareness of the stories of both victims and perpetrators.

All of these initiatives make it clear that it is important to the people and institutions that bear responsibility in Germany not only to preserve their own history, but also to actively process it. At a place like the Weihenstephan campus, this history is not forgotten, but kept alive. The memorial plaques are not only a sign of regret, but above all an invitation to learn from history.