Pogrom Night memorial event: The desire for a life in peace
Mayor thanks for commitment against violence and terror - wreath-laying ceremony at the stele on Stephanplatz in Chemnitz
The fact that tolerance, freedom and democracy are precious values was emphasised today by the participants at the wreath-laying ceremony in memory of the victims of the pogrom night 74 years ago. Hundreds of citizens gathered at the stele on Stephanplatz and laid flowers. The choir of the Jewish community sang.
Mayor Barbara Ludwig in her speech: "Here at the stele where the synagogue stood, we remember the Jewish victims of Nazi barbarism who were Chemnitz residents. There are around 4,000 individual fates: all of them are touching, inconceivable. And the history of the Jews of Chemnitz should not be forgotten. At least we can do that for them." The head of the city thanked the Chemnitz network of democratic forces and all the citizens involved for keeping history alive and standing up for an open and tolerant civil society. It is important to remember the many people who suffered under the tyranny of the National Socialists because of their Jewish faith, their political convictions or their disabilities. Jews were persecuted, marginalised, humiliated and murdered. In the pogrom night of 9 November 1938, synagogues were set on fire. Millions of people died in concentration camps. The National Socialist tyranny disregarded human rights and human dignity. "Democracy, freedom, human dignity and the right to the security of one's own life are an indispensable asset for a life in peace. These fundamental rights need to be brought to life and strengthened on a daily basis. Only a strong, stable, but also defensive democracy can secure these values for us," said Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig.
Dr Ruth Röcher, Chairwoman of the Jewish Community of Chemnitz, also spoke a word of remembrance. At the end, Cantor Alexander Saharenko sang the song "El male rachamim" and the traditional Kaddish, the prayer for the dead.
The Stumbling Stones also commemorate the fate of the victims of National Socialism. The 10 x 10 cm cobblestones with the names and biographical data of the victims have been laid in Chemnitz since 2007. There are already 64 Stolpersteine in the city commemorating the fate of those who once lived here.
The famous Chemnitz synagogue stood on Stephanplatz, the traditional site of the annual commemorative event organised by the City of Chemnitz together with the Jewish Community of Chemnitz, until it was destroyed in the pogrom night of 1938. The new place of worship of the Jewish community of Chemnitz was consecrated on 24 May 2002 on the Kapellenberg at Stollberger Straße 28. The Jewish community of Chemnitz, which celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2010, now has over 650 members.