40 years of the Breitenau Memorial - Remembering for a democratic society

The Breitenau Memorial is the oldest Nazi memorial in Hesse. It is the result of a research project at the University of Kassel and receives extensive support from the university. Since 1984, it has been carrying out continuous remembrance work at the historical site of the concentration camp and later "labor education camp" (AEL). The memorial has been run by an association and has thrived on civic engagement since its inception. Today, Breitenau is the second most visited Nazi memorial in Hesse.

At the Market of Opportunities, 20 players from the field of historical and political education presented themselves, including the Hadamar and Trutzhain memorials, Adlerwerke, the Evangelical Forum, the Hesse Mobile Advisory Team, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) North Hesse, Kopiloten e.V. and many others. They all helped to highlight the wide range of educational opportunities and the many ways in which people can get involved in Hesse. In her welcoming address, Susanne Schneider, Mayor of Guxhagen, pointed out the importance of civic participation in times of increasing polarization and thanked everyone who had participated in the Market of Opportunities. The words of welcome that followed from District President Mark Weinmeister, District Administrator Winfried Becker, the first deputy of the Hesse State Welfare Association (LWV) and the board of the Breitenau Memorial Association looked back to the future. Mark Weinmeister thanked the founders of the Breitenau Memorial, above all Dietfrid Krause-Vilmar, who made a decisive contribution to coming to terms with the Nazi past in the region. Ulrike Gote drew attention to the importance of the stone witnesses for the future of the culture of remembrance in view of the time gap between the Nazi crimes and the past.

After a performance by the jazz band jixMazz, a panel discussion took place with current and former memorial site employees. The panel consisted of Prof. Dr. Dietfrid Krause-Vilmar, Dr. Gunnar Richter, Thomas Altmeyer, director of the Adlerwerke historical site in Frankfurt am Main, Judith Sucher, educational director of the Hadamar Memorial and Dr. Ann Katrin Düben, director of the Breitenau Memorial for the past five years. The discussion was moderated by historian and journalist Cornelia Siebeck, research assistant at the memorial site department, Topography of Terror Berlin. There was a lively discussion about resistance in the early days of memorial site work, but also about broadening perspectives such as inclusion and diversity orientation. "Over the past five years, with decisive support from the state of Hesse, the local authorities and the LWV, the course has been set for a contemporary, dynamic and open place of learning and remembrance. In the coming years, it will be important to implement this further development of the Breitenau Memorial," said Ann Katrin Düben, summarizing the objectives for the coming years.