Commemoration on the 80th anniversary
How do we want to commemorate today? How can we ensure that people of all ages remember - together?
These are questions we began asking ourselves well before the 80th anniversary.
This year, the anniversary of the murder of 20 Jewish children and 28 adult prisoners on April 20 coincided with the end of both the Jewish festival of Pesach and the Christian celebration of Easter. We chose to mark this day in silence - accompanied by music, but without words - especially in light of the commemorative event planned at the Thalia Theater on Yom HaShoah, April 24.
More than 150 people gathered in the Rose Garden, including relatives of the murdered children. It was a deeply moving occasion: an opportunity for each person to reflect and be part of a shared moment of remembrance.
A few days prior, we had inaugurated the new memorial in the Rose Garden. It has become a new focal point and a meaningful addition to the site. Students and participants placed painted stones and flowers on the memorial, as well as on the individual stones commemorating the children and adults.
On April 23 at noon, the annual remembrance organized by community groups in Burgwedel took place again. Fourth-grade students honored the memory of the children; some of whom now live on streets named after the victims, giving them a personal connection to the history.
That evening at St. Jacobi Church, a special moment unfolded: Gilad Reichenbaum - nephew of the murdered boy Eduard Reichenbaum - performed a song written by and for his Holocaust survivor father Ytzhak, alongside Yael Gat and Doron Furman (Folkadu). Gilad also created a 30-minute film One Picture and One Song, a lasting tribute to Ytzhak offering a gentle, intimate perspective on the lives of Holocaust survivors’ children.
On April 24, nearly 1,000 people gathered at the Thalia Theater to commemorate the lost 20 Jewish children. Relatives travelled from the United States, France, Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Hamburg to attend. In conversation with journalist Ingo Zamperoni, First Mayor Dr. Peter Tschentscher emphasized how essential commemorative work is to the health of democracy.
Holocaust survivors and eyewitnesses Andra and Tatiana Bucci also shared memories of their time in the Auschwitz children’s camp, expressing sorrow that (apart from their cousin Sergio) they couldn’t remember any of the other children. At the end of the conversation, it was moving to witness the audience standing in tribute to Andra and Tatiana.
The event was broadcast live by NDR and can be viewed [here, insert link in website!].
We are grateful to all who supported the event:
the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Foundation EVZ, the Thalia Theater, NDR, the Italian Cultural Institute Hamburg, the Bertini Prize e.V., and the Week of Remembrance Hamburg-Mitte.
A further selection of media reports can be accessed here:
