Memorials: Concern about shift to the right - more staff needed

History - Memorials: Concern about shift to the right - more staff needed

In light of the resurgence of right-wing extremism in Germany, the director of the Brandenburg Memorial Sites Foundation, Axel Drecoll, is calling for better staffing to handle the processing of Nazi history. "We are fighting for better equipment," Drecoll told the German Press Agency. "It needs a political offensive from the federal and state levels."

More money and personnel are needed, so that memorial sites can intensify their educational work, for example, in collaboration with schools. While the state government in Brandenburg does a lot for the memorial sites, there is still a need for a "push forward" throughout the Federal Republic, according to Drecoll. A regular visit by school classes to the memorial site lasts 90 minutes. "That's enough time to go through such a large area and point out a few key issues," he said.

At the Memorial and Educational Site Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg, six employees are involved in educational work. In addition, there are independent guides for site tours. The Memorial Site Buchenwald in Thuringia recently complained that it had too few personnel and too little space to meet the demand.

According to the Brandenburg Memorial Sites Foundation, around 500,000 people visited the former concentration camp Sachsenhausen in Oranienburg in 2023. The memorial site has reported an increase in antisemitic and Israel-hostile attacks and messages on its premises since the terrorist attack by the Islamist Hamas on Israel on October 7.

Right-wing violence in the 90s

In the Memorial and Educational Site Ravensbrück in Fürstenberg/Havel in northern Brandenburg, memorial site managers and researchers discussed the consequences of a resurgent right-wing extremism in a discussion event. In the 90s, memorial sites had to deal with right-wing extremist violence on numerous occasions. In the Memorial Site Sachsenhausen, a arson attack was committed on a barrack where Jewish prisoners had once been imprisoned in 1992.

Fears of the Rise of Right-wing Movements

The Memorial Sites Foundation is concerned about the rise of right-wing movements and, looking ahead to the upcoming state elections in the east, is watching with concern for a potential strengthening of the AfD. A change in the climate is also being anxiously observed by victim groups, said Drecoll. "Historical revisionist positions should not become the norm." The Memorial Sites Foundation intends to strengthen cooperation with civil society initiatives and volunteer engagement in the future to make the significance of Nazi history for democracy more visible.

With the victory of the AfD in the European and municipal elections, Brandenburg has moved significantly to the right three and a half months before the state elections on September 22. In Germany, the number of right-wing extremist criminal and violent acts increased significantly in 2023.

1. The director of the Brandenburg Memorial Sites Foundation, Axel Drecoll, is advocating for increased funding and staff to tackle the rise of extremism in Germany's processing of Nazi history.
2. Drecoll highlighted the need for a political push from both federal and state levels, stating that memorial sites require more resources for their educational work.
3. In Oranienburg's Memorial and Educational Site Sachsenhausen, six employees are dedicated to educational activities, in addition to independent guides.
4. The Memorial Site Buchenwald in Thuringia expressed concerns over insufficient personnel and limited space to cater to the growing demand for education on Nazi crimes.
5. In the 1990s, memorial sites faced numerous instances of right-wing extremist violence, including an arson attack on a barrack at Sachsenhausen.
6. The Memorial Sites Foundation is watchful of the potential strengthening of right-wing movements, such as the AfD, leading up to the east German state elections.
7. The rise of right-wing extremist movements has prompted concerns among victim groups, with Drecoll expressing the desire to prevent historical revisionist positions from becoming commonplace.
8. To enhance awareness of Nazi history's importance for democracy, the Memorial Sites Foundation plans to boost cooperation with civil society initiatives and volunteer engagement.

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