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Day of action in St. Wendel: Fritz Berl and the power of remembering
On October 29th, 2025, St. Wendel will commemorate Fritz Berl's 100th birthday with a day of action to remember history.
Day of action in St. Wendel: Fritz Berl and the power of remembering
October 29, 2025 marks the birthday of Fritz Berl, a courageous contemporary witness and son of the Jewish merchant Eugen Berl, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. Born in St. Wendel, he enjoyed a carefree childhood until the unpleasant shadow of anti-Semitism and the Saar referendum in 1935 fell over the family. To commemorate this impressive life story, the Adolf Bender Center and class 10a of the Wendalinum High School organized a day of remembrance that organized numerous exciting events.
The day of action was not only a homage to the late Fritz Berl, but also an important opportunity to keep his story alive. A special highlight was the live connection to Haifa with Adi Gold, Fritz Berl's grandson, who willingly answered students' questions during the event. These questions covered both the life of Fritz Berl and the current challenges of life in Israel.
Insights into the past
The event started with an in-depth presentation about the life of the Berl family, which illuminated the students before and during the Nazi era. Fritz Berl, who was the last Jewish student to be expelled from the Wendalinum boys' high school on November 14, 1938, managed to escape across the German-Italian border to Palestine and thus survived the Holocaust. On the excursion, the young people visited important places of remembrance, including Fritz Berl's former parents' house and the memorial site on Eugen-Berl-Platz.
Some students showed a very special commitment when they cleaned the stumbling block for his mother Erna Berl. The new memorial for former Jewish fellow citizens on the church forecourt was also not left out. These experiences were captured through photos presented during the Adi Gold live broadcast.
A dialogue across generations
The questions that the young people asked during the video broadcast provided insights into the life story of Fritz Berl and the developments of his family in today's Israel. Adi Gold insisted on answering openly and honestly, which created a profound exchange between the generations. The event powerfully highlighted the importance of remembrance, to ensure that such atrocities are never repeated and to build bridges between cultures and times.
In a world where we are often overwhelmed by the present, it is essential to look to the past and not forget the lessons we can learn from it. The day of action was successful in its mission to keep Fritz Berl's life story alive and pass it on. A step in the right direction to promote understanding and empathy - because remembering should always build a bridge to the future.