Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Berlin
Aerial view of Berlin's unique Holocaust memorial. Image © Google Earth.
The memorial consists of 2,700 concrete blocks on undulating ground.
Photo by mightymightymatze.
A wavy path leads through memorial stones. Photo by Jaime Silva.
Visitors are encouraged to walk among the stones. Photo by Axel.
Panoramic view of the Memorial. Photo by Andreas H.
Photo by Jaime Silva.
Photo by Andreas H.
Path through taller stones. Photo by Jaime Silva.
The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas) is a large and unusual Holocaust memorial unveiled in May 2005 in central Berlin.
History
The idea of a central memorial to the Jews murdered by the Nazis was first proposed in 1988, when German Jewish journalist Lea Rosh founded a group to support its construction and to collect donations. But a year later, the Berlin Wall fell and Germany was busy with the tasks of rebuilding and reunifying the two Berlins and the two states.
The idea was proposed again a few years later, and a resolution was passed by the Bundestag in 1998 to erect the memorial. This time, its completion was delayed by bureaucratic hassles, disagreements over concept and design, and opposition from many Germans.
In June 1995, the plan of Christine Jackob-Marks (a large sloping concrete surface with the names of the victims chiseled in) was declared the winner, but Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl rejected it. Peter Eisenman's plan emerged as the winner of the next competition in November 1997. In June 1998, the Bundestag decided in favor of Eisenman's plan, modified by attaching a museum, which Eisenman would also design.
Construction of the memorial began in April 2003. In October 2003, it was discovered that the German company Degussa provided some materials for the memorial and construction was halted — a daughter company of Degussa had produced the Zyklon B poison used to murder people in the Nazi gas chambers. After some discussion, construction was resumed one month later, with continued involvement of Degussa.
On December 15th 2004 the memorial was finished. It was dedicated on May 10, 2005, as part of the celebration of the 60th anniversary of V-E Day. It opened to the public on May 12, 2005.
What to See
The memorial consists of about 2,700 concrete slabs ("steles") arranged in a grid pattern on a 19,000 square meter site. The steles are 2.38m long, 0.95m wide and vary in height from 0.2m to 4.8m. The ground slopes unevenly. Visitors are encourage to walk between the steles; the memorial can be entered from all sides and offers no prescribed path.
An attached underground "place of information" holds the names of all known Jewish Holocaust victims, obtained from the Jerusalem museum Yad Vashem. The cost of the memorial's construction has been estimate at 25 million Euros.
The memorial is located in Berlin near the Reichstag and the underground bunker in which Adolf Hitler committed suicide. "I want it to be a part of ordinary, daily life," its designer, New York architect Peter Eisenman, told journalists. "People who have walked by say it's very unassuming... I like to think that people will use it for shortcuts, as an everyday experience, not as a holy place."
Quick Facts
| Names: | Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas; Holocaust Mahnmal; Berlin Holocaust Memorial |
| Type of site: | Holocaust memorial; Jewish museum |
| Dates: | Completed May 2005 |
| Location: | Ebertstr. and Behrenstr., Mitte, Berlin, Germany |
| S-Bahn: | Unter den Linden |
| Phone: | 030/7407-2929 |
| Hours: | Daily, 24 hours/day. Information Center: daily 10-8. |
| Cost: | Free |
Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Berlin Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Foundation for the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – Official Site
- Berlin opens Holocaust memorial – BBC News, May 10, 2005
- Germany ‘faces up to its history’ – MSNBC, May 10, 2005
- Germany unveils haunting memorial to murdered Jews – Reuters, May 10, 2005
- Berlin Holocaust memorial opening – CNN, May 10, 2005
- Berlin to dedicate Holocaust memorial – Jerusalem Post, May 9, 2005
