Remembering World War II
My name is Katy and I want to take you on a very special walk through Lübeck. As a Brit living in Germany, I’ve often had quoted to me Basil Fawlty’s (of cult British TV show Fawlty Towers fame) infamous line “don’t mention the war!” In fact, this seems to be ingrained in British minds when visiting the country. Cue the sigh of relief when they come into the Tourist Information with difficult questions and realise, they’re not actually talking to a native German.
In fact, I get asked very often by tourists about Lübeck during the war and any sights which may relate to this. A lot of people assume the topic is taboo, with no trace left of this ‘unspeakable’ past. After all, 2025 does see the 80th anniversary since the end of the war. But the then comedic wisecrack from 1975 couldn’t be further from the truth in modern day Germany.
During the 1930s and 1940s, Lübeck was in the grips of a dictatorship. It saw a bombing raid which destroyed over 20 per cent of the city and killed 301 residents, as well as experienced the tragic expulsion and forced migration of over 700 Jewish persons and persecution of other multiple minorities. The city, which was once a left-leaning stronghold, started to be decorated in swastikas and buildings were repurposed to fit the new Nazi agenda. Even the Holsten Gate was turned into a military museum to propagate National Socialist ideals and featured as the central point of a number of events and celebrations. After the allied bombing raid in the night of the 28th March 1942 and multiple years fighting an ultimately losing battle, Lübeck (and Germany as a whole) was left devastated, broken and scarred.
It took years of remembering, reflecting, regretting and rebuilding before Lübeck was able to enter the second-half of the 20th century as a new city. One which offers a refuge to many, regained its Hanseatic charm and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first of its kind for an entire city.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana
With such a dark stain on German history, many have made it their mission to tackle the difficulties of the past and confront what happened. Within Lübeck’s Kulturbüro, there is a dedicated team for Erinnerungskultur, focused on this very task. And they’re not alone! Multiple companies, charities, museums, artists and initiatives are actively contributing to the public memory space. This history is present in Lübeck, waiting for you to discover it for yourself. So, here’s a few tips for where you can start your journey into Lübeck’s darkest chapter.
Vor den Augen Aller Memorial
If you’re travelling to Lübeck via the main train station, then you’ll likely be walking into the first opportunity to remember those who lost their lives in the holocaust. The memorial Vor den Augen aller (Before the Eyes of All), created by Ute-Friederike Jürß, consists of three flags which are flown in front of the train station’s main entrance. They’ve been flying since 2013 and are regularly changed, corresponding to dates in the history of mass deportation. The passages on the two external flags are taken from farewell letters or diary entries from those forcibly deported. The memorial serves to remind passers-by of the horrific history of the location. More information, including photos of the various flags, can be found here.
Death March Memorial
You’ll likely visit the Holsten Gate, it’s a must in Lübeck. But don’t forget to visit Castle Gate as well! If you walk through Castle Gate and over the left-hand side of the bridge (at the other side of the zebra crossing) there’s another memorial, which I find well worth a visit.
This is a white memorial which, at first, can be quite confusing as to what it should represent. It’s one of 12 similar memorials set up between Lübeck and Neustadt in Holstein which commemorates the death marches, carried out towards the end of the war. 500 victims were forcefully transported through Lübeck from Auschwitz and Mittelbau-Dora concentration camps. Many arrived in barges and were then forced to travel to Ahrensbök and later to Neustadt. The majority of victims did not survive the journey and of those that did, many later perished in the ill-fated Cap Arcona disaster. Not only do I find the artistic value of this memorial interesting, but I like how the location of it catches you of guard, piquing your interest and forcing you to remember those before us as you go about your normal daily activities.
Stolpersteine
Whilst you’re out and about in Lübeck, don’t only look up! In fact, if you do, you’ll be missing another important part of holocaust remembrance. Built into the pavements around the city are little Stolpersteine, directly translated as stumbling stones.
This was an initiative originally started by artist Gunter Demnig and is designed to memorialise victims of the Nazi regime across Europe. The stone is deliberately placed in front of the last chosen residence of the victim, and contains information such as their name, birth date and fate. At the time of writing, Lübeck has 251 such stones. The area around the synagogue (St.Annen Straße and Schildstraße) has 18 of the commemorative plaques, showing the fates of entire families. Lübeck also has some stones for victims that were not murdered, for example that of Dina, Elias and Kurt Wiener who managed to escape to South Africa.
To make finding the stones easier, there’s an app called Stolpersteine Digital. It’s a great little tool which helps you not only find the stones, but discover more about the people they are dedicated to. Unfortunately, at the moment the app is only available in German, but if you take note of the name then you can find the same details in English on this website.
The Bells of St. Mary’s Church
On the night of the 28th of March, and into the early hours of the 29th of March in 1942, Lübeck became the first German ‘civilian’ city to face heavy bombardment from the Allies. Within one night 400 tons of bombs were dropped on the Hanseatic town, causing complete devastation. Over 300 people lost their lives and 1,468 buildings were completely destroyed.
Walking through the streets of modern-day Lübeck, it is hard to believe the beautiful Old Town saw any type of bombing raid. Until, that is, you visit the St Mary’s Church, in the centre of the city. The church was badly damaged that night, which saw the roof and part of the vaults collapse, along with the contents of the church destroyed by fire. Unable to withstand the destruction, the towers collapsed and with them the bells came crashing down to the floor. There they have stayed, frozen in a moment in time. For visitors of the church, they now serve as a warning against the horrors of war and violence. To plan your own visit, be sure to check out St. Mary’s website.
Memorials on Parade
If, on your stroll around Lübeck, you find yourself near the Cathedral, then you should definitely take the chance to check out the memorials nearby. Located at Parade 12 is a two-part memorial dedicated to those who fell victim to the National Socialist tyranny due to political, religious and racial reasons. The memorial has been there since 1986 and is especially poignant, as the location is where the former police station and headquarters of the Gestapo were located. The plaque, therefore, invites you to remember the history of those brought to the location. A site of terror for many.
When stood in front of the memorial, take a look to the right and you’ll notice a later addition. Whilst the original memorial includes a number of victims, it doesn’t commemorate all. There are various memorials throughout the city, but clearly missing was one which also commemorated those persecuted due to their sexual orientation. This is despite all we know about the persecution, for example the fact that on the 23rd of January in 1937, 230 men in Lübeck were arrested and taken to this location to face interrogation and torture. The fates thereafter saw trials, prison sentences and deportation to concentration camps. It was only right, therefore, that the extra plaque was unveiled in 2016 after an initiative from the Lübeck CSD eV. Lübeck would never want to purposefully neglect a group of victims.
The Lübeck Martyr Memorial
From the memorial on Parade, the next stop is only a few steps away. Whilst Lübeck doesn’t have a museum which specifically deals with the topic of the Second World War, inside the Sacred Heart Church at Parade 4 there’s a memorial to the Lübeck Martyrs. These four men, Eduard Müller, Hermann Lange, Johannes Prassek and Karl Friedrich Stellbrink bravely preached against the Nazi propaganda. Prassek, Lange and Müller all worked for the Catholic Sacred Heart Church and even lived on the premises, whilst Stellbrink was a Pastor of the Lutheran Church in Lübeck. In 1942 the four were arrested for sharing their beliefs against the state and sentenced to death. They were taken to the Hamburg prison Holstenglacis and executed by guillotine on the 10th of November 1943.
At the memorial, you can discover more about these tremendous individuals, as well as about Lübeck under Nazi dictatorship. Whilst the information boards are in German, with the help of QR codes the text is accessible in a range of languages. Personally, I find the memorial is not only a fantastic spot for learning, but also allows a deeper emotional and spiritual connection to the martyrs given the church location. If you don’t have a lot of time, most information at the memorial can also be accessed online here.
Former Air-Raid Shelter
Lübeck has a few examples of former air-raid bunkers, some of which, despite changing use, still resemble their former bunker-self. There is one shelter, however, which has always fascinated me. This is mainly because, for many years, I’d walked past it and had no idea that it actually is a bunker. I’m referring to the building An d. Obertrave 19. I was unaware of its former use, since it blends in so beautifully with the surroundings. That was exactly the plan of the architects who built it. It’s one of only 20 high-rise bunkers built during the time and sits on a former dilapidated arcade building. It was built between 1940 and 1941 and maintained its use as an air-raid shelter during the Cold War. The building is protected as a cultural monument of historical and urban importance and thus will hopefully keep surprising passers-by years to come.
Gestapo Cells
There is one more place in Lübeck which will hopefully play an important role in the remembrance landscape in the future. Did you take the chance to visit the memorial on Parade? In the Zeughaus (the Armory), next to the memorial, deep in the basement are the original Gestapo cells. These cells were used by the secret police during the Nazi times to interrogate and torture those brought to the Gestapo headquarters.
Little remains of this former site of horror, except the cells in the basement. They have remained unchanged, a chilling reminder of the terror which once took place in the building. Unfortunately, the cells are not currently open to the public and can only be visited during special events. However, there are initiatives in Lübeck calling for the public opening of the cells as a place of remembrance and education. There’s currently debate about what is needed to make this happen, as well as how it should look and what should be included. There are no ‘quick fixes’ to these dilemmas, however there is little doubt of the educational value of the cells. Watch this space, a ‘new’ arena of remembrance could appear in Lübeck in the upcoming years. Unfortunately, information about the cells isn’t currently available in English. However, this website has information in German, including several pictures.
The growing collective memory scene in Lübeck shows that this topic is still at the forefront of our minds. The city has clearly taken the famous quote from George Santayana to heart and set out to ensure that such an atrocious history never happens again. Lübeck remains a city which, whilst respectfully remembering the past, uses it to influence the future. After all, the words inscribed on the Holsten Gate – Concordia domi foris pax (Harmony within, peace outside) – live on as a motto which truly represents the past and present hopes and dreams of Lübeck.
