Discover Sachsenhain: Leadership to the history of a UN monument

Discover Sachsenhain: Leadership to the history of a UN monument

In the picturesque Verden, more precisely in Sachsenhain, a special event will take place next Sunday, which will throw light on the historically important but controversial site. Wilfried Duckstein from Hanover, a recognized expert for the history of Sachsenhain, will lead through the extensive terrain. This happens on the occasion of the day of the open monument, which is under the motto "Truth-Sign-Contemporary Witnesses of History".

The Sachsenhain, a place full of academic and historical relevance, has a dark and complicated past. In 1933, after the National Socialists took power, the facility was built as a SS consecration site under the direction of Heinrich Himmler. The place has a unique meaning as a so-called "UN monument", since the buildings built there are not listed in the official list of the Lower Saxony State Office for the Preservation of Monuments. This is an interesting facet that is explained during the leadership.

a place without permission

The fact that a building application was never made for the construction of the Sachsenhains or a building permit was given. This illegality inevitably led to various breakdowns and conflicts during the process of creation. Duckstein, who has been dealing with matter for many years, will shed light on these aspects. He will take the visitors on a journey through time to explain the background and intentions of the National Socialists who wanted to create a supposed connection to Lower Saxony with the establishment of the Sachsenhain.

The Sachsenhain should serve as an identification point and strengthen the Nazi Volksgemeinschaft. This was done in the form of a small museum village that was never completed, and a circular route that was lined with 4,500 boulders collected over all of Lower Saxony. A particularly adjusting element that will appeal to Duckstein is the role of the forced labor of an external command of the Neuengamme concentration camp in the maintenance of the site.

At the end of the 90-minute leadership, the focus will be on the future of Sachsenhain. Duckstein will discuss how this historically stressed site can be embedded in a concept of memory culture in Verden. This argument is of great importance for mourning and working history. The entire event is offered free of charge for visitors, and donations for the Documentation Center Verden (DOZ20) are welcome.

The tour begins at 2 p.m., and despite the limited parking facilities, a lively participation is expected. Many are interested in the history of Sachsenhain, and Duckstein's specialist knowledge will certainly provide valuable insights. The meeting point will be in front of the Jugendhof Sachsenhain chapel, at the Jugendhof 17, where visitors can look forward to an informative and moving journey into history.