Riehen memorial
The Riehen memorial commemorates Jewish refugees from National Socialist Germany to Switzerland . It is the only memorial for Jewish refugees in Switzerland.
history
During the Second World War , Switzerland temporarily offered a total of almost 300,000 asylum seekers. Of the around 60,000 so-called civilians who were admitted to Switzerland, slightly less than half were Jews. As the numerically largest group among all victims of the National Socialist policy of persecution and extermination, the memorial for Jewish refugees in Basel - Riehen sets a stone that will not be forgotten. The memorial is dedicated to those Jewish refugees who were lucky enough to find acceptance in Switzerland. Special attention is also paid to all Jewish refugees who were refused entry by Switzerland.
After Johannes Czwalina had acquired the switch keeper's house from the Deutsche Bundesbahn, the initiators of the memorial, J. Czwalina and RJ Geigy, while studying the history of the house, became aware that many refugees had traveled through Riehen. The entire rail line through Riehen belonged to the Deutsche Reichsbahn along with this house, although it was on Swiss soil . This gave the Riehen escape route a special meaning, as did the winding green border over which many Jewish refugees tried to escape from Nazi Germany.
Personal concern finally led to the plan to found a memorial, a place that would like to support the personal processing of the events. The focus of the exhibition is on background information on Switzerland's refugee policy, reports from contemporary witnesses and the presentation of Riehen's special situation as a place on the border. There is a stable extension. where works of art are shown, as well as a library and a reading room. Events on the topic and moments of encounter are organized.
The "Verein Gedenkstätte Riehen" supports the work of the memorial by collecting donations and volunteering. The purpose of the association is to promote this private initiative. The association is particularly committed to “preserving the memory of the fate of the Jewish refugees during World War II in Riehen, in the border triangle and beyond” (Art. 1, Association statutes / February 11, 2011).
The memorial or the house at Inzlingerstrasse 44 does not belong to the association. They are privately owned. The extension of the memorial was fully privately financed. After a long construction period, the modern extension opened on January 22nd, 2015.
Web links
- Website of the memorial for refugees in Riehen
- Urs Hafner : Holocaust memorial in Riehen: the main thing is pity. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung , March 30, 2017, accessed on December 5, 2017.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Peer Teuwsen : Does Riehen want to remember? In: Die Zeit , November 7, 2013, accessed December 5, 2017.