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Memorials & Monuments
Germany's eventful history is reflected in Berlin's many memorials, monuments and cemeteries. These places in the capital are dedicated to remembrance and commemoration of past events. more
The Bundeswehr Memorial is located on the grounds of the Ministry of Defense near the Tiergarten. Soldiers and civilian employees who have lost their lives in the line of duty are commemorated here.
Since the Bundeswehr - Germany's Federal Defense - was founded in 1955, over 3300 soldiers and civilian employees have died in the line of duty. In 2005, Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung took the initiative to establish a memorial, as there was a lack of a central location "where all of the Bundeswehr's dead could be commemorated in a dignified manner".
Jung had decided to erect the memorial at the Berlin headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Defense near the Tiergarten. Soldiers and civilian employees who lost their lives in the line of duty are commemorated here. The Bundeswehr Memorial on the edge of the Bendlerblock site on Hildebrandtstraße was inaugurated on September 8, 2009.
According to the plans of Munich architect Andreas Meck, a publicly accessible concrete block 32 meters long, eight meters wide and ten meters high was created. It is covered with an openwork bronze shell, the structure of which is reminiscent of the soldiers' identification tags, which are cut in half when they die. Inside is a black Room of Silence, the cella, where wreaths and flowers can be laid.
The inscription reads: "To the dead of our Bundeswehr for peace, justice and freedom". The names of over 3,200 soldiers and members of the Bundeswehr who have died are displayed on a small projection screen for around eight seconds at a time. This is similar to a video installation and differs from traditional war memorials, where the names are carved in stone. This is intended to avoid hero worship and instead emphasize the transience of life and the individuality of death.
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Germany's eventful history is reflected in Berlin's many memorials, monuments and cemeteries. These places in the capital are dedicated to remembrance and commemoration of past events. more
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The most important sights in Berlin's Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district: Discover the splendor of the City West. more