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Daily News Egypt
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily News Egypt
From Berlin to Gaza: Who Is Remembered in the Nation's Memory ?
During my first visit to Berlin in recent weeks, and after wrapping up several work meetings, I found some time to explore different aspects of the city. After touring some of Berlin's famous historical and cultural landmarks, curiosity led me to search for Hitler's final residence, the bunker where he spent his last days and ultimately took his life. The site is unremarkable today, marked only by a modest sign revealing that the quiet residential buildings now standing there were once the epicenter of devastating plans, the very place where Hitler lived, died, and was buried in the final days of the war. This bunker lies close to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, surrounded by other monuments and museums throughout the city. These sites are designed to ensure that memory remains vivid and unflinching, to prevent any romanticizing of the past or denial of its horrors. In a clear and sustained act of historical responsibility, modern Germany embraces a continuous process of acknowledging Nazi crimes, so that future generations never treat them as marginal events or forgettable footnotes. Berlin's memorials deliver a profound political and moral message: modern Germany has moved beyond its past by constantly confronting it. There is no denial, no deliberate forgetting, only a transparent, collective reckoning. This approach offers not only symbolic justice and respect for the victims of Nazi atrocities, but also reaffirms Germany's commitment to values that oppose racism, dictatorship, and extremism. Memorials are not merely museums or statues of historical figures; they are educational and cultural tools. They deliberately spotlight specific moments in the past to shape national memory in a way that promotes healing and helps citizens see themselves as part of a larger, shared narrative of sacrifice and resilience. Berlin's post-war transformation, successfully overcoming the trauma of its past to build a new future, offers a powerful example for reflection in our Arab societies. Many of our nations have endured years of destructive conflicts, civil wars, and sectarian violence. These were compounded by Israel's escalation of regional instability, most recently through its genocidal war against the Palestinian people and attempts to forcibly displace them from their land. Yet no matter how long wars rage, the guns will one day fall silent. When that moment arrives, we must be brave enough to ask ourselves: should the Arab world build monuments that glorify figures like Yahya Al-Sinwar or Hassan Nasrallah? Or will future generations see them the way Germany sees Hitler, as men who brought devastation to their nations? Our Arab societies need to rethink their recent history in a way that enables us to build a better future, one that memorializes the victims of wars and conflicts, rather than endlessly recycling the forces that caused them. Establishing a framework for shaping 'Arab collective memory', through museums, memorials, school curricula, films, books, and responsible political and public discourse, can help produce a unified Arab narrative. This narrative would explain the destruction our region has witnessed since the outbreak of the so-called 'Arab Spring,' and offer not just symbolic justice for victims, but a foundation for future peace and a safeguard against repeating past mistakes. Ragy Amer Writer, academic, and radio presenter at Egyptian Radio. He is a media advisor to several leading Egyptian universities. Author of several books, as well as hundreds of articles published in prominent Egyptian newspapers and magazines.
Jordan Times
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Berlin's 'unforgettable' Holocaust memorial turns 20
Partial view of Berlin's Holocaust memorial (Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe) in Berlin, on May 27, 2024 AFP photo BERLIN — Some say it feels like walking through a field of gravestones. Others liken it to a maze of coffins, disorientating and eerily quiet despite being in the middle of Berlin. The German capital's sombre Holocaust memorial -- an arrangement of 2,711 concrete steles which has drawn millions of visitors -- marks its 20th anniversary this month. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe has become a powerful symbol of Germany's determination to ensure the crimes of the Holocaust are not forgotten. But as the world readies to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, fears are growing that the country's strong tradition of remembrance is starting to erode. Architect Peter Eisenman, whose New York firm designed the memorial, said he wanted to create "an experience that you would have walking in the space like you couldn't have in any other space in the city". "People find it quite scary because even though it's open to the city, you can disappear and you can lose a child, for example," Eisenman, 92, told AFP. But the idea "was not to make people feel bad or guilty or anything like that", he said. "Kids love it because they play tag and hide-and-seek and run around, and people sunbathe on the pillars. You're supposed to do whatever you want to do. It's not prescribed." 'Quite like a cemetery' The idea of establishing a central Holocaust memorial in Berlin was born in the 1980s but the project was delayed for several years amid concerns that it may provoke anti-Semitism. The German parliament finally agreed on the project in 1999 and the finished memorial, including an underground information centre, officially opened on May 10, 2005. There are no figures on how many people visit it each year but Uwe Neumaerker, the head of the foundation that takes care of it, said that in general "everyone who visits Berlin also visits this memorial". "It is accessible day and night, and there are always visitors here. It's hard to say that people love it but they have taken it into their hearts," he said. Maintaining and securing the memorial costs around two million euros ($2.3 million) a year, according to Neumaerker but "considering the crowds of visitors, it's money well spent". On any given day in Berlin, in any weather, groups of tourists can be seen wandering through the steles, taking pictures and pausing to reflect on history. "I think the German nation have been good to put something like that as a memorial," said Clifford Greenhalgh, 74, visiting from England on a sunny spring day.
Local Germany
05-05-2025
- General
- Local Germany
Berlin's 'unforgettable' Holocaust memorial turns 20
Some say it feels like walking through a field of gravestones. Others liken it to a maze of coffins, disorientating and eerily quiet despite being in the middle of Berlin. The German capital's sombre Holocaust memorial -- an arrangement of 2,711 concrete steles which has drawn millions of visitors -- marks its 20th anniversary this month. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe has become a powerful symbol of Germany's determination to ensure the crimes of the Holocaust are not forgotten. But as the world readies to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, fears are growing that the country's strong tradition of remembrance is starting to erode. Architect Peter Eisenman, whose New York firm designed the memorial, said he wanted to create "an experience that you would have walking in the space like you couldn't have in any other space in the city". "People find it quite scary because even though it's open to the city, you can disappear and you can lose a child, for example," Eisenman, 92, told AFP. READ ALSO: Four words that tell us something about Germany But the idea "was not to make people feel bad or guilty or anything like that", he said. "Kids love it because they play tag and hide-and-seek and run around, and people sunbathe on the pillars. You're supposed to do whatever you want to do. It's not prescribed." Advertisement 'Quite like a cemetery' The idea of establishing a central Holocaust memorial in Berlin was born in the 1980s but the project was delayed for several years amid concerns that it may provoke anti-Semitism. The German parliament finally agreed on the project in 1999 and the finished memorial, including an underground information centre, officially opened on May 10th, 2005. There are no figures on how many people visit it each year but Uwe Neumärker, the head of the foundation that takes care of it, said that in general "everyone who visits Berlin also visits this memorial". "It is accessible day and night, and there are always visitors here. It's hard to say that people love it but they have taken it into their hearts," he said. A visitor stands between stelae of The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as The Holocaust Memorial, in Berlin, Germany on January 27th, 2023, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Photo: Stefanie Loos / AFP Maintaining and securing the memorial costs around €2 million a year, according to Neumärker, but "considering the crowds of visitors, it's money well spent". On any given day in Berlin, in any weather, groups of tourists can be seen wandering through the steles, taking pictures and pausing to reflect on history. "I think the German nation have been good to put something like that as a memorial," said Clifford Greenhalgh, 74, visiting from England on a sunny spring day. Advertisement "You can have a statue but I think something like that, it's unforgettable. There are no names but you don't need any names." Polina Chernyavskaya, a 24-year-old student from Kazakhstan, said: "While I am walking here I feel pretty calm and peaceful. It's like when you come to a cemetery. It's very quiet and you can think." READ ALSO: How a German archive brings victims of the Nazis back to life 'Guilt of the past' Remembrance of the Nazis' atrocities and the theme "never again" have for decades been a central feature of German politics and society as the country seeks to atone for its dark past. But concerns are growing amid a rise in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which emerged as the second-biggest party in the federal elections in February. The party's Bjoern Höcke has called the Berlin remembrance site a "memorial of shame". Advertisement US tech billionaire Elon Musk made a video appearance at an AfD rally where he said Germany was focused "too much on the guilt of the past". In a study published by EVZ, a foundation dedicated to remembrance culture, more than 38 percent of respondents agreed that it was time to "draw a line" under the Nazi era. Veronika Hager, a consultant to the EVZ board of directors, said the result could be seen as a "tipping point" for remembrance culture. Despite the initial concerns, the Holocaust memorial has been largely spared from a reported rise in anti-Semitic attacks and vandalism in Germany in recent years. READ ALSO: How the world discovered the Nazi death camps However, a Spanish tourist was seriously injured in February in a stabbing attack there. Police arrested a Syrian man who they said was a sympathiser of the Islamic state group. "We live in difficult times where right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis are becoming increasingly vocal," said Neumärker. "I believe that in these times, a memorial like this is more important than ever." Asked whether the memorial will still be relevant in another 20 years' time, Eisenman was optimistic. "I think we did a good memorial. It's abstract. It doesn't tell you what to do. It doesn't confine you. It's not kitsch. It's very serious ... I think it'll be there a long time." By Femke Colborne with Cecilia Sanchez in New York
New York Times
23-02-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
‘Religious Motivation' Possible in Berlin Stabbing, Police Say
The man detained in connection with the stabbing of a Spanish tourist at Berlin's Holocaust memorial on Friday may have been planning for weeks to kill Jewish people, according to German authorities. The suspect, a 19-year-old Syrian refugee, was carrying a copy of the Quran, a prayer rug and a piece of paper with the attack's date and Quran verses when he was apprehended, suggesting a 'religious motivation,' the Berlin police said on Saturday. In a joint statement with the public prosecutor's office, they added that things the suspect had said to the police suggested that over several weeks 'a plan to kill Jews came together in his mind,' and that the location of the attack also reflected this idea. The police said they had not ruled out connections to the Middle East conflict but had found no evidence linking the suspect to other groups or individuals. He came to Germany in 2023 as an underage refugee, was a legal resident and had no criminal record, the authorities said, adding that were also investigating if mental illness had played a role in the attack. The 30-year-old victim, whose name was not made public, sustained neck injuries that required him to have emergency surgery and be placed in a medically induced coma, officials said, but his life was no longer at risk. The attack took place at Berlin's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, an expansive memorial across the street from the U.S. Embassy. It came as Germans prepared to vote in a divisive national election on Sunday, and amid a rise in antisemitism across Europe. Germany's economic problems, coupled with frustration over immigration, are central issues to voters in a parliamentary election where the far-right party, Alternative for Germany, or AfD, has risen in the polls. The AfD party, which has been linked to neo-Nazis, has promised to crack down on immigration and deport some immigrants, a message that has gained traction in a country that has suffered a series of attacks perpetrated by people from Afghanistan and the Middle East. An asylum seeker from Afghanistan rammed his car into a union demonstration in Munich on Feb. 13, injuring dozens, and in December, a Saudi citizen killed six people and injured hundreds more when he drove his car through a Christmas market in central Germany.
Washington Post
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
German police suspect antisemitic motive in Holocaust memorial stabbing
BERLIN — Prosecutors in the German capital said Saturday they believe the Syrian suspect in a stabbing at Berlin's Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe apparently wanted to kill Jews. The attack Friday came as Germany heads to the polls Sunday after an election campaign dominated by calls for a clampdown on migration and asylum.
