Night of 1,000 Lights: Final tribute for Love Parade victims in Duisburg

Night of 1,000 Lights: Final tribute for Love Parade victims in Duisburg

The memories of the tragic Love Parade disaster of 2010 live on. On July 17, 2025, relatives and the “Duisburg 24.7.2010” foundation are preparing for the 15th anniversary of the greatest tragedy in the history of electronic music. A sad climax, because July 24th marks the anniversary of the fateful day on which 21 people died and over 650 were injured. WDR reports that the memorial event in the form of the “Night of 1,000 Lights” will take place for the last time on July 23, 2023. This special event took place for many years in Duisburg's Karl Lehr Tunnel, where candles were lit to commemorate the victims.

The “Duisburg 24.7.2010” foundation has been an important supporter for the bereaved over the last ten years. Not only did it offer pastoral care and financed therapies, it also accompanied the long trial before the Duisburg regional court, which ultimately ended without convictions. The deficiencies that led to the disaster included inadequate safety precautions and planning that contained many errors. Professor Jürgen Gerlach found in a comprehensive report that canceling the event could possibly have prevented the tragedy.

Committees and commemoration

On July 24, 2025, a press conference will take place in the church building to provide an outlook on the commemoration and take stock of the foundation. Relatives from various countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, China and Australia, are invited to commemorate together. Manfred Reißaus, an important spokesman for the foundation advisory board, unfortunately died on July 1, 2022, making the loss felt by the community. The ongoing discussions between the city of Duisburg and the foundation show the ongoing need to commemorate the disaster appropriately.

• 24. Juli 2010: 21 Tote, über 650 Verletzte
• Gedenkfeiern seit 2011, organisiert von verschiedenen Gremien
• Letzte Nacht der 1.000 Lichter im Juli 2023
• Der 24. Juli 2025 markiert den 15. Jahrestag

Jürgen Widera, a representative of the foundation, emphasizes that future memorial meetings that are less public could also be possible. The relatives often wish for a quieter remembrance, far away from the public eye. A QR code installation will also be provided at the memorial to give visitors insights into the events of 2010. This move demonstrates a continued interest in keeping memories alive and ensuring that lessons are learned from the past.

Security standards and events

The consequences of the disaster are noticeable for the organization of major events. After Duisburg, safety standards were significantly increased. Strict requirements also had to be observed at events such as the “Rave The Planet” festival. Police had raised concerns in the past that could ultimately lead to an early termination.

The memorial at the Karl Lehr Tunnel will remain in place despite planned new development areas. The need of the city society and its relatives to maintain the memory of the Love Parade catastrophe remains unbroken to this day. Among the events marking anniversaries, July 24th is admired and respected as a very special day for mourning and remembrance.

Finally, the developments of the last few years show that commemorating the disaster is not only important for the relatives, but should also represent a lesson for society as a whole. The event gave the discussion about safety standards and the handling of major events a new framework. It is to be hoped that such tragedies never happen again. Tagesschau points out that despite all efforts, 100% safety is not possible in large gatherings of people. Nevertheless, it is of the utmost importance to strive for these experiences and to take reports seriously.