An das Eisenbahn-Bundesamt
Außenstelle Berlin
Steglitzer Damm 117
12169 Berlin
23rd July 2024
2024: SAVE THE MEMORIAL!
Subject: Objections to the S21 Nordringanbindung planning approval procedure – Memorial to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe
Dear Sir, dear Madame, to whom it may concern,
We protest against the construction project of the S21 Nordringanbindung as presented in the planning documents published on 27 May 2024. The plans reveal evident, devastating, irreversible damage to the Memorial to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe, situated in the Tiergarten.
The building project violates the integrity and dignity of this important memorial. The suggested intervention is an insult to remembrance and to the value of memory. Furthermore, the very concept of the suggested construction project, exposes a politically scandalous failure of the culture of remembrance in Germany.
For the Sinti and Roma in Europe and worldwide, the memorial in Berlin is a symbolic grave for their relatives murdered under National Socialism. For them, the memorial is the central place of mourning and remembrance. It was created by Dani Karavan, one of the most important international sculptors and environmental artists.
It was commissioned by the German state after a long struggle by the Sinti and Roma community and was finally inaugurated by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other politicians in 2012. Since then it has served as a memorial to the 500,000 murdered Sinti and Roma in Europe during the Nazi era. It is of great national, historical and moral significance and is intended to last for posterity.
It is therefore scandalous that merely 12 years after its inauguration, the memorial is to be massively damaged by the construction of a suburban railway for Berlin. The Federal Republic of Germany has a political and moral responsibility to commemorate the victims of National Socialism. It is the moral responsibility of all German institutions not only to remember the victims of the crimes of the Nazi era, but also to maintain all places of remembrance and protect them from vandalism.
It is incompatible with this moral obligation that the central place of remembrance for the murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe is now treated with such disrespect. Nobody would ever consider tempering with the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe in Cora-Berliner-Straße. Clearly, the memorial to the Sinti and Roma merita the same degree of respect.
Numerous institutions, associations, memorial sites and members of the public have repeatedly pointed out, including in an open letter dated 23 October 2023
https://www.stiftung-denkmal.de/aktuelles/offener-brief-rettet-das-berliner-denkmal-fuer-die-ermordeten-sinti-und-roma-europas/ , that the ancient trees surrounding the water basin are an essential element of the memorial. The memorial is not just the water basin, but the entire contest in which it is nested. This is obvious to anyone who visits the memorial.
From the very beginning, the memorial was designed specifically for this site in its current form and surroundings. Anyone involved in the planning of the S-Bahn route can find this out by familiarising themselves with the history of this memorial. However, it seems that Deutsche Bahn and the Berlin Senate do not value or understand this aspect of the memorial.
For the late environmental artist Karavan, the trees that visually and acoustically enclose the water basin were the explicit prerequisite for creating this memorial, as can be seen from his designs. Karavan had always vehemently protested against the plans of this suburban railway line and threatened to personally protect the monument from the construction excavators.
His widow Hava Karavan and his daughters are appalled that these plans are about to be approved and executed after his death.
Apparently, it is also planned to dig and run a tunnel under the memorial. According to current plans, the tunnel would run just one meter below the memorial site. Therefore, newly planted, mature trees that could have replaced the felled ones would never be able to establish deep roots and reach the same height as their predecessors. Thus the memorial is destined to suffer irreversible damage.
In addition, the vibrations caused by every passing suburban train would be clearly noticeable, so the memorial will lose its serene quality of a place dedicated to meditation and contemplation. Furthemore, the long-term damage that this could cause to the water basin has not been investigated so far.
According to the plans submitted, the memorial would be restricted on three sides by an open construction area during the long-term construction phase. Presumably, the glass elements in the entrance area would also have to be removed.
The construction work would also visually and acoustically disfigure the monument for many years. Dust, dirt and noise would massively disrupt the memorial. The music associated with the memorial, composed and played by Romeo Franz, a descendant of victims of National Socialism, would no longer be audible during the entire construction phase.
Some very disturbing questions arise when a place that was conceived to preserve a memory, is intended to be subjected to the hazards of forgetfulness.
We are therefore calling for an alternative route for the construction of the S 21 motorway that leaves the memorial untouched.
First signees:
Hava Karavan, Witwe von Dani Karavan
Noa Karavan, Tochter von Hava und Dani Karavan
Tamar Karavan, Tochter von Hava und Dani Karavan
Yael Karavan, Tochter von Hava und Dani Karavan
Uwe Neumärker, Direktor Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
Jana Mechelhoff-Herezi, Stiftung Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas
Hamze Bytyçi, RomaTrial
Veronika Patočková, RomaTrial
Daniel Strauß, RomnoKher
Romeo Franz, Generalsekretär Bundesvereinigung der Sinti und Roma
Alexandra Senfft, Autorin
Further Signees
Wim Wenders
Donata Wenders
Wolfgang Benz, Historiker, emeritierter Professor der TU Berlin, ehemaliger Leiter des Zentrums für Antisemitismusforschung
Oliver Sears, Director, Holocaust Awareness Ireland
Catherine Punch, Holocaust Awareness Ireland
Samson Munn, Fulbright Specialist in Peace and Reconciliation Studies USA, Founder of The Austrian Encounter, Sohn von Holocaust-Überlebenden
Susanne Goodman, Vorstand, Freies Musikzentrum München
Brigitte Eggenhofer, Vorstand, Freies Musikzentrum München
Silke Siebert, Vorstand, Freies Musikzentrum München
Felix Büchner, Geschäftsführer, Freies Musikzentrum München
Candice Breitz, Artist, Berlin
Frank Dabba Smith, Emeritus Rabbi, London, UK
Judah Passow, Fotograf, London UK
Antonie Grumbach, Architekt, Frankreich
Sebastian Barry, Schriftsteller, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Honorary Fellow, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Agnes Vince, State architect & urban planner, director of Coastal Conservatory, Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy, Frankreich
Adrienne Goehler, Senatorin für Wissenschaft, Forschung, Kultur a.D.
Brian Klug, PHD, University of Oxford, UK
Kei Horikoshi, director, Spatial Design & Art Co., Japan
Reva Klein, London, UK
Gereon Sievernich, ehemaliger Direktor des Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin
Annette Simon, Psychoanalytikerin, Berlin
Christoph Brockhaus, Kunsthistoriker, ehemaliger Direkt des Wilhelm Lembruch Museum, Duisburg
Inge Kroll, Präsidium Lagergemeinschaft Dachau, Tochter eines politisch NS-Verfolgten
Irmgard Wilfuhr, Präsidium Lagergemeinschaft Dachau
Sybille Ellinger-Weber, Vorstand Arbeitskreis für Intergenerationelle Folgen des Holocaust, PAKH, Köln
Phil-Gordan Zameit, Vorstand Arbeitskreis für Intergenerationelle Folgen des Holocaust, PAKH, Köln
Renée Bertrams, kooptiertes Vorstandsmitglied, Arbeitskreis für Intergenerationelle Folgen des Holocaust, PAKH, Köln
Anja Königseder, kooptiertes Vorstandsmitglied, Arbeitskreis für Intergenerationelle Folgen des Holocaust, PAKH, Köln
Eve Rosenhaft, Professor Emerita of German Historical Studies, University of Liverpool, UK
Cilly Kugelmann, freie Ausstellungskuratorin, Berlin
Joke van der Leeuw-Roord, Founder and Special Advisor EuroClio, the International Association of History, Heritage and Citizenship Educators, The Hague, NL
Claude Mollard, Project Manager of Dani Karavan’s Axe Majeur, Cergy Pontoise
Lena Inowlocki, Soziologin, apl. Prof Goethe-Universität Frankfurt
Jack Lang, Kulturminister a.D., Präsident des Arab World Institute, Paris, Frankreich
Lech Majewski, Filmemacher, Polen
Peter Pogany-Wnendt, 1. Vorsitzender des Arbeitskreises für Intergenerationelle Folgen des Holocaust, PAKH, Nachkommen von Holocaust-Opfern und -überlebenden, Köln
Ian F. Hancock, OBE, FRSA, Professor Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin, former member of the US Holocaust Memorial Council, USA
Sonia Simmenauer, Künstleragentin und Salonière vom Jüdischen Salon Berlin
Klaus Schultz, Mitglied des Präsidiums der Lagergemeinschaft Dachau
Debórah Dwork, MPH, PhD, Director, Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, The Graduate Center—City University of New York, USA
Sara Roy, PHD, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, USA
Jean-Jacques Neuer, Counsel of the Picasso Administration, Brancusi Estate, Yves Klein Estate, Arman Estate, the Giacometti Foundation, Paris, Frankreich
Monika Rydiger, Kunsthistorikerin und Kuratorin, International Cultural Centre Krakau, Polen
Bartłomiej Struzik, Vice-rector for cooperation, Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, Krakau, Polen
Franzi Sessler, Präsidium der Lagergemeinschaft Dachau, Urenkelin von politisch verfolgten Widerstandskämpfern
Michael Rothberg, Professor of English, Comparative Literature, and Holocaust Studies, UCLA, USA
Christopher Vila, Lagergemeinschaft Dachau e.V., Stiftungsrat Europäische Holocaustgedenkstätte Stiftung e.V.
Gregor Gysi
Walter Venedey, Berlin
Zoni Weiz, Überlebender des Völkermords an Sinti und Roma, Niederlande
Anish Kapoor, Künstler, London, UK
Pilar Parcerisas, Präsident, „Angelus Novus“ Foundation, Portbou, Barcelona, Spanien
Kelly Laubinger, Co-Vorsitzende Bundesvereinigung Sinti und Roma
Henny Engels, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Helmut Metzner, Geschäftsführender Vorstand der Bundesstiftung Magnus Hirschfeld
Ilko-Sascha Kowalczuk, Historiker
Klaus Lederer, MdA, Bürgermeister und Senator a.D.
Wolfram Stender, Professor der Soziologie, Hochschule Hannover, Mitglied der ehemaligen Unabhängigen Kommission Antiziganismus
Elizabeta Jonuz, Professorin der Soziologe, Hochschule Hannover, Mitglied der ehemaligen Unabhängigen Kommission Antiziganismus
Michel Jaouën, Architekt, urban planner, Präsident der „Association Axe Majeur de Cergy-Pontoise”, Frankreich
Astrid Messerschmidt, Professorin der Erziehungswissenschaften, Wuppertal, Mitglied der ehemaligen Unabhängigen Kommission Antiziganismus
Silas Kropf, Mitglied der ehemaligen Unabhängigen Kommission Antiziganismus
Lukas Welz, Vorstandsvorsitzender AMCHA Deutschland e.V.
Agnes Krumwiede, MdB a.D.
Klaus Jetz LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Tadayasu Sakai Kunstkritiker
Bürgermeister Marcus König, Bürgermeister von Nürnberg
Werner Konitzer, Professor der Philosophie, Berlin
Sabin Tambrea, Schauspieler
Gaby dos Santos, Bloggerin und Medien Künstlerin, PR-Vertreterin von Madhouse KULTUR der Sinti und Roma, München
Alexander Diepold, Geschäftsführer, Hildegard Lagrenne Stiftung, Mannheim
Ursula Krechel, Schriftstellerin, Berlin
Sven Edthofer, Kunsttherapeut, Berlin
Björn Thielebein, stellv. Landesvorsitzender Die Linke Berlin, Mitglied der Bezirksverordnetenversammlung Marzahn-Hellersdorf
Mikhaylo Tyaglyy,research associate at the Ukrainian Center for Holocaust Studies, Kyjiw, Ukraine
Manja Schuecker-Weiss, Vorstandsmitglied Bundesvereinigung der Sinti und Roma, Frauen Initiative „Sorle Phenja“
Ulrich Floßdorf, Montessori Fachkraft, Aldo Rivera Diplompsychologe, Madhouse München
Leah Carola Czollek, Leiterin des Instituts Social Justice und Radical Diversity
Gudrun Perko, Professorin, Fachhochschule Potsdam
Michaela Kobsa-Mark, Filmemacherin
Jan Grabowski, Historiker; Professor, Fellow, Royal Society of Canada, Ottawa, Kanada
Friedrich Veitl, Verleger, Metropol Verlag, Berlin
Dr. Tatjana Holter, Berlin
Aleida Assmann, Prof. Dr. Dr. Hc.Kulturwissenschaftlerin, Universität Konstanz
Colum McCann, Schriftsteller, Irland
Robert Abzug,Holocaust scholar, Prof. emeritus professor of history at the University of Texas, USA
Mario Franz, Geschäftsführer, Niedersächsische Beratungsstelle für Sinti und Roma e.V.
Lavinia Reinke,Geschäftsführerin Tony – Die Agentur GbR
Kathrin Ast,Geschäftsführerin Tony – Die Agentur GbR
Amdrïta Jakupi, Psychotherapeutin, Vorstandsvorsitzende safe space e.V Köln
Tatja Seibt, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Angelica Hilsebein, Historikerin, Berlin
Mara Geri, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Jörg Hutter, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Mikhail Tumasov, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Philipp Braun, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Patrick Dörr, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Tim Stefaniak, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Alva Träbert, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Erik Jödecke, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Alexander Vogt, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Julia Monro, Bundesvorstand LSVD+ – Verband Queere Vielfalt e. V.
Angelika Kollacks, Musiktherapeutin, Missionsschwester, Berlin
Michaela Bank, Rentnerin und Dipl. Betriebswirtin, Missionsschwester, Berlin
Thekla Schönfeld, Lehrerin für Sonderpädagogik, Missionsschwester, Berlin
Monika Ballani, Sozialarbeiterin, Referentin für Menschen mit Behinderung, Missionsschwester, Berlin
Margot Papenheim, Berlin
Cornelia Kalz, Berlin
Antje Kunst, Berlin
Vera Reichmann, Nichte von Zilli Schmidt, Überlebende des Völkermords an den Sinti und Roma Europas
Daniel Buren, Künstler
Marianne Arndt, Berlin
Georg Hörnschemeyer, Vorsitzender Gedenkstätten Gestapokeller [im Schloss Osnabrück] und Augustaschacht e.V.
Sabine Speiser, Vorstand des Flüchtlingsrats Berlin
Bernadette Kern, Berlin
Matthias Kern, Berlin
Heike Ruppender, Berlin
Carol Höllenreiner für Mano Höllenreiner, Überlebender des Völkermords an den Sinti und Roma Europas
Else Höllenreiner, Mettenheim
Frank Brendle, Geschäftsführer Bildungswerk für Erinnerungsarbeit und Frieden
Murat Dikenci, Dramaturg und Regisseur Maxim Gorki Theater
Marlo Thormann, Geschäftsführer Sinti Union Schleswig-Holstein
Jörg Heiser, Institut für Kunst im Kontext, Universität der Künste Berlin
Hristo Kyuchukov, Prof., Dr., Schlesische Universität Kattowitz, Polen
Kenan Emini, Vorsitzender Roma Center Göttingen
Max Czollek, Autor, Kurator Coalition for Pluralistic Publik Discourse
Anselm Kiefer, Künstler