30 years of memorial Lindenstrasse: a place of memory and encounter!

30 years of memorial Lindenstrasse: a place of memory and encounter!

Lindenstraße 54, 14467 Potsdam, Deutschland - The Lindenstrasse memorial in Potsdam is celebrating a very special milestone this year: For 30 years it has been an important place in memory and the mediation of history. On July 15, 2025, this will be celebrated with a festive event that takes place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the courtyard of the memorial. Minister of Culture Manja Schüle and Mayor Burkhard Exner will open the program with greetings. There is a diverse program that includes discussion groups, contemporary witness talks, film screenings and a concert. Mayor Exner describes the memorial as a formative place of education and memory, which is not only regionally but nationally important, as Potsdam.de reports.

The Lindenstrasse memorial addresses the history of political persecution and imprisonment in the Nazi dictatorship, under the Soviet occupation and in the GDR. Here the fates of those people who were imprisoned for political reasons are documented and the brave who helped to overcome the SED dictatorship. It is a former court and prison complex that now acts as an open place of learning in history. Visitors can experience the multimedia permanent exhibition and changing special exhibitions and take part in an extensive educational program. Every year the memorial counts over 20,000 visitors, and the demand is high, as the Memorstätätästätte Lindenstraße emphasized.

Current developments and commitment

The Lindenstraße Memorial Foundation was founded 10 years ago and has created solid structures since then to ensure the preservation and further development of the place. Dr. Birgit-Katharine Seemann, the chairman of the foundation, emphasizes the continuous development, which is supported by the committed civic engagement, in particular the "Lindenstraße 54" funding community. Financial resources from the city and the country have also contributed significantly to stability.

In order to illustrate the importance of such memorial, the international web portal "Places of remembering" was launched in April 2025. This shows over 1,100 memorial places worldwide that are reminiscent of the victims of communist dictatorships. It particularly focuses on memory signs of the Soviet occupation zone and the GDR as well as the memorial of the Katyń massacre. This initiative is a further project that aims to document the "topography of memory" for the victims of state repression, according to places of memory.

The Lindenstrasse memorial is not only a place of grief, but also hope and learning. It symbolizes the victory of democracy in the peaceful revolution of 1989/90 and remains a central point of contact for everyone who wants to deal with the history of Germany. Visitors are cordially invited to attend the 30th anniversary events on July 15 and to support the important work of the memorial. The use of everyone involved is a strong sign of the appreciation of history and human fate.