Days of Remembrance in Berlin: Remembering 30 years after the Srebrenica massacre

Days of Remembrance in Berlin: Remembering 30 years after the Srebrenica massacre

July 11, 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, considered the worst war crime in Europe since World War II. On this important day, numerous memorial events are taking place in Berlin to commemorate the over 8,000 victims who were murdered by the troops of Bosnian Serb army chief Ratko Mladic in 1995. What is particularly tragic is that many of the victims were separated from their families and buried in mass graves, which means that relatives are still searching for the remains of their loved ones to this day. On July 11, 1995, the city of Srebrenica was under UN protection, but people were still brutally attacked.

The German Bundestag will commemorate the victims of the cruel genocide this Friday from 2 p.m. A debate will be held in which the Bundestag administration will ask MPs to refrain from wearing the “Srebrenica flower”. These pins in the shape of a white and green flower were originally intended to represent the memory of July 11, 1995, with the white representing those innocently killed and the green representing hope. While the ceremony is being planned, commemorations will also be held in Srebrenica itself, where current survivors and descendants of the victims will come together to mourn together and show solidarity.

Worldwide commemorations and significance

Remembrance Day is not only celebrated in Germany. The UN General Assembly has decided that July 11th will be recognized as an international day of remembrance for the victims of the Srebrenica genocide. This decision was made with a majority of 84 votes, although 19 states, including Serbia and Russia, voted against it. The resolution condemns the denial of genocide and the glorification of those convicted, which has increasingly become a point of contention on the international stage.

There are current efforts to preserve the memory of the genocide while at the same time there are political tensions, particularly with Serbia, which finds the resolution divisive. President Aleksandar Vucic has expressed his disagreement with the political context of the resolution and compared the situation to that of the Holocaust.

Remembrance and reconciliation

The importance of commemoration extends far beyond the day. Historian Belma Zulic emphasizes the importance of remembering the atrocities and making the voices of the victims heard. This year too, the remains of 14 victims were buried during the commemorations in Srebrenica, which vividly illustrates how long it takes until the families can find closure.

It is a day of pain but also of hope. Around 500 participants from different countries are expected to gather in front of the Brandenburg Gate to commemorate the victims in a vigil. Another event will be held in the Berlin House of Representatives in the evening under the motto "Our stories, our warning. Against forgetting".

The Srebrenica massacre remains a central challenge for the European culture of remembrance and the question of how to deal with the past. One of the core messages both in Germany and internationally is the hope for peace and reconciliation in the region, but the different perspectives and historical narratives are often still irreconcilable.

July 11th is celebrated not only as a day of remembrance, but also as a reminder that such atrocities must never happen again. The circumstances and drama of what happened in Srebrenica should never be forgotten and make it clear that humanity must learn in order to shape a peaceful future.