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Memorial to the Jehovah’s Witnesses persecuted and murdered under National Socialism

Inauguration & Event the Day Before

Inauguration — June 24, 2026, 11:00 a.m.

Note: At the start of the program on June 24, 2026, there was no sound at times due to technical issues. A recording of the entire program in better quality will be made available in the coming days.

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Speaking

  • Julia Klöckner MdBPresident of the Bundestag
  • Wolfram WeimerMinister of State for Culture and the Media
  • Felor BadenbergSenator for Justice and Consumer Protection of the State of Berlin
  • Matthias LeeckArtist of the memorial
  • Clara-Denise DörnerGreat-granddaughter of the persecuted Bruno Seide
  • Julius GlaserGreat-grandson of the persecuted Wilhelm Ruhnau

musical accompaniment

Chamber orchestra

Moderation

Uwe Neumärker, Director of the foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Event the day before — June 23, 2026, 3:00 p.m.

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Moderation

Uwe Klages

program

  • “Forward, You Witnesses!”Chamber orchestra Terra Nova – Composer: Erich Frost
  • Greetings from the founderSimone Arnold-Liebster
  • Researching the Nazi persecution history of Jehovah’s Witnesses – sources and archivesProf. Dr. Detlef Garbe
  • Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault (in English)James Pellechia
  • Denied remembrance – the long road to the memorial for the persecuted Jehovah’s WitnessesProf. Dr. Wolfgang Benz
  • Presentation of the foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of EuropeUwe Neumärker
  • Interview: The way to the goalMario Bergmann – Uwe Klages – Uwe Langhals – Matthias Leeck
  • Interview: The historical placeMicha Kours – Angela Nerlich
  • Word of greeting from the post-born from the goldfish pondVerena Kours
  • Interview: Living Resistance – Contemporary Resistance (in English)Kirsten Paul – Dennis and Irina Christensen
  • Memory and heritage – the importance of passing on to future generationsPeter Stocker
  • Steles, streets, Stolpersteine (stumbling stones) – memorials for Jehovah’s WitnessesFalk Bersch
  • “Unbroken through the night”Chamber orchestra Terra Nova – Composer: Jerome Weiss

Background

On June 22, 2023, the German Bundestag decided to erect a memorial to the Jehovah’s Witnesses who were persecuted and murdered under National Socialism. The Christian denomination, which also called itself the Serious Bible Students, was systematically persecuted in Germany from 1933 and in Nazi-ruled Europe from 1938. Over 15,500 Jehovah’s Witnesses – women and men – were imprisoned, including 4,200 in concentration camps, where they were stigmatized with a “purple triangle”. At least 1,750 Jehovah’s Witnesses lost their lives.