Holocaust commemoration in Schleiden: remind, debate, learn!

Holocaust commemoration in Schleiden: remind, debate, learn!

Schleiden, Deutschland - On February 3, 2025, a discussion event on the subject of "commemoration" and culture of remembrance took place at the Clara Fey School in Schleiden. This event marked the end of a project week dedicated to the Holocaust commemoration. The discussion was moderated by Maja Hölz ​​and Clara Gehlen. Part of the project week included a minute's silence, the cleaning of stumbling blocks, a memory exhibition and the production of a video over the Holocaust.

Mayor Ingo Pfennings came up with discussion because he was busy with inquiries about federal political events. The event was accompanied musically by the students Luisa Sauer, Miriam Schmitz and Philipp. Pfennings commented critically about the AfD and spoke out for a confrontation with the party. Alfred Wolter, a contemporary witness, impressively reported everyday life during the Nazi era and the sad emigration of the Jewish cattle dealers after the Reichspogromnacht.

The importance of the culture of memory

The discussion also turned to the critical consideration of the current culture of remembrance. History teacher Bettina Berres spoke out against the vote in the Bundestag with the AfD and criticized the debate about the discretion of citizenship. She warned of disinformation in social networks, which represents a current risk to remembering the atrocities of National Socialism. Georg Toporowsky emphasized how important the awareness of democracy is.

The memory of the victims of National Socialism remains a central part of German memory culture. Every year on January 27, the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the international day of commemoration is committed for the victims of the Holocaust. On this day, people light candles at the monument to the murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin, which was inaugurated in 2005. The challenges in memory culture are complex and require an active commitment to civil society.

memory as the order of the future

A special feature of German memory culture is the variety of memorials and documentation centers that are over 300 in number. These not only offer an important space as a memory, but should also serve as places of experience and knowledge. The importance of the culture of memory is currently particularly high because the distance to the historical events is growing. It is important to learn from history in order not to repeat mistakes and to counteract misanthropic ideas.

The discussion about the relevance and contemporary design of the forms of commemorations shows that emotions alone are not sufficient to promote sustainable culture of commemoration. In recent years, an increase in anti -Semitic attacks has been recorded, which increases the need to actively shape the examination of history. Many voices from different areas demand that stories of families and perpetrators have to flow into the culture of remembrance in order to enable a comprehensive understanding.