Last Night of Lights: Duisburg's Love Parade Foundation dissolves

Last Night of Lights: Duisburg's Love Parade Foundation dissolves

A dark chapter in German party history is coming to an end - the Duisburg Foundation, which was set up after the devastating Love Parade disaster in 2010, is dissolving this year. July 24, 2025 marks the 15th anniversary of the tragic accident in which 21 people died and more than 500 others were injured. Jürgen Thiesbonenkamp, ​​spokesman for the board of trustees, reports that the demand for help and pastoral support has declined in recent years. The decision was therefore made to dissolve the foundation. From a historical perspective, the Love Parade of 2010 was a severe blow of fate that had a lasting impact not only on the families affected, but also on society as a whole. Zeit reports that ...

The foundation has provided active support for years by helping traumatized victims and survivors to go to the authorities and find therapy places. But while the commemoration of the victims will continue, it is unclear how future anniversary tributes will be organized. The city of Duisburg has agreed to look after the memorial at the site of the accident as well as the events on the anniversaries in order to offer the relatives a framework for commemoration. However, Thiesbonenkamp emphasizes that the memory of the victims does not end just because the foundation ceases to exist.

Memories of the catastrophe

The Love Parade disaster happened on July 24, 2010 in Duisburg - an event that is considered one of the most tragic in German history. There was a crowd in the lower area of ​​the eastern main ramp, which caused fatal pressure situations. The investigations pointed to numerous deficiencies in planning and approval, but no one was held legally responsible. The general consensus is that a variety of circumstances led to the disaster. The aftermath includes at least six survivors who committed suicide due to emotional distress, underscoring the tragedy of the disaster. Wikipedia provides information about the background...

The question is still being raised as to how this catastrophe could have occurred. Despite warnings, permission was granted for the event and the organizer expected an attendance of 485,000, although the permission was only for 250,000 people. In fact, there were up to 114,000 people on site at peak times, creating a terrible backlog. Police cordons that were set up to calm the situation only made the already tense situation worse. There were serious deficiencies in the event's security concept, which led to a stricter focus on security concepts for major events after the accident.

Night of 1,000 Lights

Next Wednesday the Night of 1,000 Lights will take place for the last time to commemorate the dead and injured in the Love Parade. This event has become a symbolic act of remembrance over the years, and many relatives hope for a permanent framework for commemoration, even after the foundation's closure. The city of Duisburg plans to develop ideas with everyone involved in order to ensure that the accident can be remembered in a dignified manner in the future. The hope remains that the voices of the victims and their relatives will continue to be heard, even if formal support from the foundation ceases. Spiegel describes the events...