Suche
Mein Konto
80 years after the liberation: Commemoration in Flossenbürg thrilled!
Commemoration in Flossenbürg, 80 years after the liberation: prominent speakers, musical accompaniment by the University of Regensburg.
80 years after the liberation: Commemoration in Flossenbürg thrilled!
From April 23 to 27, 2025, a multi-faceted commemoration ceremony took place at the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp. This event was aimed particularly at survivors, relatives of former prisoners and the interested public. The central commemoration event, which took place on April 27, attracted around 800 guests, including political representatives, diplomats and clergy. Among the prominent speakers were the Bavarian Prime Minister Dr. Markus Söder as well as the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, Claudia Roth, and the writer Lena Gorelik. Members of the 2nd and 3rd generations shared moving impulses with those present during the memorial act.
The important ceremony also included a wreath-laying ceremony and an interfaith burial of remains in the “Valley of Death” memorial complex. Six survivors of the Flossenbürg concentration camp, including Josef Salomonovic and Shelomo Selinger, took part in this emotional ceremony. The chamber orchestra of the University of Regensburg, under the direction of Arn Goerke, provided musical support for the celebration. Prof. Dr. Udo Hebel, President of the University of Regensburg, emphasized the universities' responsibility for coming to terms with historical and current truths. The partnership between the University of Regensburg and the Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial is intended to further promote remembrance work.
Liberation of the camp and its meaning
The Flossenbürg concentration camp was liberated by US troops on April 23, 1945. During this liberation, the soldiers encountered around 1,500 seriously ill prisoners. Shortly before liberation, an estimated 15,000 prisoners were forced on death marches. Overall, the number of deaths from the Flossenbürg concentration camp is estimated at over 30,000. These historical facts make the commemoration all the more meaningful.
The Flossenbürg Memorial is one of several institutions that commemorate the crimes of the National Socialist regime. Other important concentration camp memorial sites in Germany, such as Auschwitz, Dachau and Bergen-Belsen, are also dedicated to coming to terms with and remembering the Nazi past. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media supports the various memorial sites and foundations in order to sustainably promote the culture of remembrance in Germany.
The Flossenbürg Memorial and the University of Regensburg have together created an important platform for remembrance. In particular, the Flossenbürg memorial is supported by the Bavarian Memorials Foundation given the opportunity to do justice to their task and to keep the crimes of the past regime in mind.