Commemoration of the victims of National Socialism
Silent commemoration in the Park of the Victims of Fascism on 27 January, 10 a.m.
On the occasion of the nationwide day of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism, a silent commemoration will take place in Chemnitz on Wednesday, 27 January 2021 at 10 a.m. at the memorial in the Park of the Victims of Fascism. Lord Mayor Sven Schulze will lay a wreath on behalf of the City of Chemnitz and the City Council. One representative from each city council group is invited.
"The images of the extermination camps of Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen and Buchenwald shook the world. These images bear witness to twelve years of National Socialist dictatorship, the destructive extent of which exceeds anything imaginable. 76 years on, this and other days of remembrance have lost none of their significance. They are immensely important. Important for the dwindling number of people who had to witness these heinous acts and important for us who only know them from stories. Because these memories must not be allowed to fade. We will continue to educate future generations about the atrocities and report on them. That is why I am here today. Especially in these difficult times, when the memory of the crimes against humanity committed by the National Socialists seems to be fading in some people's minds," said Lord Mayor Sven Schulze.
The victims of National Socialist tyranny have been commemorated in Karl-Marx-Stadt/Chemnitz since the end of the war. On 27 January 1945, Soviet troops liberated the Auschwitz concentration and extermination camp. Following an initiative by former Federal President Roman Herzog, 27 January has been observed in the Federal Republic of Germany as a day of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism since 1996.