An important milestone has been reached in Berlin’s Tiergarten: on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the memorial to the Jehovah’s Witnesses persecuted and murdered under National Socialism was erected near the Goldfish Pond. After months of work, the bronze sculpture, which is almost five meters high and weighs around twelve tons, is now in place – still hidden behind a construction fence. The memorial will be ceremonially opened to the public on June 24, 2026.
A moment that many have been working towards for a long time
Three men came together for the erection, each of whom has shaped the project in their own way: Uwe Langhals, who has been committed to erecting the memorial for around 15 years; the artist Matthias Leeck, who designed the memorial; and Axel Selbach, owner of the Wermelskirchen-based company asm, which produced the sculpture. It was a special moment for all three of them to see the months of work finally take shape.
As the bronze sculpture weighs around twelve tons, it was transported to the site in individual parts. A total of 16 elements – a base plate and 15 discs stacked on top – were used to create the almost five-metre-high tree trunk on site. The construction went according to plan – everyone involved was visibly relieved.
From design to bronze sculpture
The design was provided by Wuppertal artist Matthias Leeck: the sculpture has the shape of a tree trunk, symbolizing the steadfastness of the group of victims. Its jagged, scarred surface makes the suffering they endured visible – and tangible. Our article “A bronze tree” describes how Leeck’s virtual model was transformed over months of work into a bronze work weighing several tons.
Impressions
15 years of commitment – and a long way to go
Around one and a half decades of work lie behind the memorial. Uwe Langhals, who has been involved in the project for around 15 years, is one of those who have never let up. The decisive step was taken by the German Bundestag on June 22, 2023, when it unanimously decided to erect the memorial. The project is being implemented by the Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe and financed by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media. The location at the Goldfish Pond was chosen deliberately: The Gestapo carried out an arrest operation against Jehovah’s Witnesses there on August 22, 1936.
The ceremonial handover on June 24
The memorial site is still fenced in – it will only take a few weeks for its full effect to unfold. On June 24, 2026 at 11 a.m., the memorial near the Goldfischteich (Ahornsteig, 10785 Berlin) will be handed over to the public during a one-hour ceremony. Among others, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner is expected to attend the ceremony.
The event will take place outdoors; all interested parties are welcome. However, the Denkmal Foundation asks you to register by June 19, 2026 by sending an email to veranstaltungen@stiftung-denkmal.de. If you are unable to attend, you can participate online via the Arnold Liebster Foundation’s livestream page.
Further information
- Project page of the Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe – background, location and ceremony
- German Bundestag – on the decision to erect the memorial
- Livestream of the handover on June 24, 2026 on alst.org
- Report of the WDR
- Report of the Berliner Morgenpost
