Lübeck's places of remembrance

Traces of the Second World War

I'm Katy, and here in the ZWISCHENZEILEN on a very special journey of remembrance through Lübeck. As a Briton living in Germany, I've often heard Basil Fawlty (of the British cult TV series Fawlty Towers) quote his famous (or infamous) line: " Don't mention the war !" It seems to be some kind of unspoken rule in the minds of British people when they travel to Germany. But then there's a sigh of relief when I'm advising them at the counter in the tourist information office and they realize they're not talking to a German, but to a fellow Briton.

In fact, I'm very often asked by tourists about sights in Lübeck that are connected to the war. Many assume that the topic is taboo and that no trace of this "unspeakable" past remains. After all, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. But the joke from the cult series of 1975 couldn't be further from the truth in Germany today.

In the 1930s and 1940s, Lübeck was under the grip of a dictatorship. The city suffered a bombing raid that destroyed more than 20 percent of it and claimed the lives of 301 people. This was compounded by the tragic expulsion and forced migration of more than 700 Jewish citizens and the persecution of numerous other minorities. The city, once a left-wing stronghold, was decorated with swastikas, and buildings were repurposed to conform to the new Nazi agenda.

Even the Holsten Gate was converted into a military museum to propagate Nazi ideals. It served as a central point for a series of events and celebrations. After the Allied bombing raid on the night of March 28, 1942, and a years-long, ultimately lost struggle, Lübeck (and Germany as a whole) was left devastated, broken, and scarred.

It took years of remembrance, commemoration, regret, and reconstruction before Lübeck could enter the second half of the 20th century as a new city. One that offers refuge to many people, has regained its Hanseatic charm, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site – the first time an entire old town has been placed under protection.

Those who cannot remember their past are doomed to repeat it.

George Santayana

Faced with such a dark chapter in German history, many have taken it upon themselves to confront the difficulties of the past and come to terms with what happened. The Lübeck Cultural Office has a dedicated team for remembrance culture that focuses precisely on this task. And this team is not alone! Numerous companies, welfare organizations, museums, cultural institutions, and initiatives actively contribute to the public sphere of remembrance. History is present in Lübeck and is waiting to be discovered. So here are a few tips on where you can begin your journey into Lübeck's darkest chapter.

Memorial in front of everyone

When you arrive at Lübeck Central Station, you'll find your first opportunity to remember those who lost their lives in the Holocaust. The memorial " In Front of Everyone's Eyes ," created by Ute-Friederike Jürß , consists of three flags flying in front of the station's main entrance. They were erected there in 2013 and have been regularly exchanged since then, corresponding to the dates in the history of the mass deportations. The quotes on the two outer flags are taken from farewell letters or diary entries of people who were forcibly deported. The memorial is intended to remind passersby of the horrific history of this place. You can find more information and photos of the different flags here .

Death March Memorial

You'll probably want to see the Holsten Gate; it's a must-see when visiting Lübeck. But the Castle Gate should also be on your list of sights! If you go through the Castle Gate and across the bridge and the pedestrian crossing, you'll find another memorial that I think is well worth seeing.

This is a white memorial whose purpose is not immediately clear. It is one of 12 similar memorials erected between Lübeck and Neustadt in Holstein, commemorating the death marches towards the end of the war. Five hundred victims were forcibly transported through Lübeck from the Auschwitz and Mittelbau-Dora concentration camps. Many arrived in barges and were then forced to march on to Ahrensbök and later to Neustadt. Most of the victims did not survive this ordeal, and of those who did, many later perished in the tragic Cap Arcona disaster.

I find not only the artistic value of this memorial interesting, but also the way in which the place where it is located arouses interest and encourages us to remember the people before us while you go about your normal daily activities.

Stumbling blocks

If you're out and about in Lübeck, don't just look up! If you do, you'll miss another important aspect of Holocaust remembrance. Small stumbling stones embedded in the sidewalks at many points throughout the city.

This initiative, originally launched by the artist Gunter Demnig , commemorates the victims of the Nazi regime throughout Europe. The memorial stone is deliberately placed in front of the victim's last known residence and contains information such as name, date of birth, and fate. At the time of writing, there are 251 such stones in Lübeck. In the vicinity of the synagogue (St.-Annen-Straße and Schildstraße ), there are 18 of these memorial plaques, each recording the fates of entire families. Lübeck also has some stones for victims who were not murdered, such as Dina, Elias, and Kurt Wiener, who managed to escape to South Africa.

To make finding the memorial stones easier, there's an app called Stolpersteine ​​Digital . It's a great little tool that not only helps you locate the stones but also provides more information about the people they commemorate. You can find more details here

The bells of St. Mary's

On the night of March 28 and into the early morning hours of ^, Lübeck became the first "civilian" city in Germany to be heavily bombed by the Allies. Within a single night, 400 tons of bombs were dropped on the Hanseatic city, completely destroying it. Over 300 people lost their lives and 1,468 buildings were completely destroyed.

If you stroll through the streets of Lübeck today, it's hard to believe that this beautiful old town was ever subjected to a bombing raid. You might think that until you visit St. Mary's Church in the heart of the old town. The church was severely damaged at the time. The roof and part of the vaults collapsed, and the interior was destroyed by fire. Since the towers couldn't withstand the destruction, they collapsed, and with them, the bells crashed to the ground. There they have remained to this day, frozen in a moment of time. For visitors to the church, they now serve as a reminder of the horrors of war and violence. To plan your visit, I recommend the St. Mary's website

Monuments in the parade

If your walk through Lübeck takes you near the cathedral, you should definitely take the opportunity to visit this nearby memorial. Located at Parade 12 , it's a two-part memorial dedicated to those who fell victim to Nazi tyranny for political, religious, and racial reasons. The memorial has stood here since 1986. It's particularly poignant because this site was once home to the police station and the Gestapo headquarters. The memorial plaque invites you to remember the stories of those who were brought to this place—a place of horror for many.

When you stand in front of the memorial, take a look to your right. You'll see that the original monument was later expanded. While it initially commemorated a number of victims, it didn't include everyone. Lübeck clearly lacked a place to remember those persecuted because of their sexual orientation. Such a place didn't exist, despite all the facts we know about the persecution. For example, on ^January 23, 1937, 230 men were arrested in Lübeck and taken to this site, where they were interrogated and tortured. This was followed by trials, imprisonment, and deportation to concentration camps. It was therefore only right that the additional plaque was unveiled in 2016 at the initiative of Lübeck CSD e.V. Lübeck would never intentionally neglect any group of victims.

The Lübeck Martyrs' Monument

From the memorial at Paradeplatz, it's just a short walk to the next stop. While Lübeck doesn't have a museum specifically dedicated to the Second World War, the Sacred Heart Church at Paradeplatz 4 houses a memorial to the Lübeck Martyrs. These four men, Eduard Müller, Hermann Lange, Johannes Prassek, and Karl Friedrich Stellbrink Holstenglacis Prison in Hamburg and executed by guillotine on November 10, 1943.

At this memorial site, you can learn more about these remarkable individuals and about Lübeck during the Nazi dictatorship. The information panels have QR codes that provide further details. Personally, I find the memorial not only a fantastic place to learn, but also, given the church's location, allows for a deeper emotional and spiritual connection to the martyrs. If you don't have much time, you can also access most of the memorial's information online here.

Former air raid shelter

Lübeck has several examples of former air-raid shelters, some of which, despite changing uses, still resemble their original appearance. However, there's one bunker that has always fascinated me. This is mainly because I walked past it for many years without realizing it was actually a bunker. I'm talking about the building at An der Obertrave 19. I didn't know its former purpose, as it blends so beautifully into its surroundings. That was precisely the intention of the architects who built it. It's one of only 20 above-ground bunkers built during that period. It stands on the site of a former, dilapidated arcade building. Constructed between 1940 and 1941, it also served as an air-raid shelter during the Cold War. The building is a protected cultural monument of historical and urban planning significance and will therefore hopefully continue to surprise passersby for many years to come.

Gestapo cells

There's another place in Lübeck that will hopefully play an important role in the landscape of remembrance in the future. Have you visited parade ground armory next to the memorial are the original Gestapo cells. These cells were used by the secret police during the Nazi era to interrogate and torture people.

Little remains of this former place of horror except for the cells in the basement. They have remained unchanged, a reminder of the terror that once unfolded within these walls. Unfortunately, the cells are currently closed to the public and can only be visited during special events. However, there are initiatives in Lübeck working to open the cells as a place of remembrance and education. Discussions are currently underway regarding what is needed and how the building can be designed. There are no easy solutions, but there is little doubt about the educational value of the cells. Perhaps you will follow the developments and learn that a new place of remembrance will be created here in Lübeck in the coming years. You can find information and view some pictures on this website .

The growing collective memory scene in Lübeck demonstrates that this topic remains present in our minds. The city has clearly taken George Santayana's famous quote to heart and resolved to ensure that such a horrific history never happens again. Lübeck continues to be a city that, while respectfully remembering its past, also uses it to shape the future. After all, the words engraved on the Holsten Gate – Concordia domi foris pax (Harmony at home, peace without) – live on as a motto that truly represents Lübeck's past and present hopes and dreams.