Remembering Margot Friedländer: Citywide Tributes Proposed in Berlin
Strategies to Commemorate Margot Friedländer - Remarks on Commemorating Margot Friedländer's Legacy
Berlin is abuzz with discussions on how to honor Margot Friedländer, a Holocaust survivor and distinguished citizen of the city who recently passed away at the age of 103. Proposals for tributes are flooding in, but decisions on the specifics are yet to be made.
The city is planning a memorial service at the Philharmonie on July 9 to mourn and celebrate Friedländer's life. In response to an inquiry by dpa, the governing mayor, Kai Wegner from the CDU, noted, "After the mourning period, the Senate will collaborate closely with the Margot Friedländer Foundation to select an appropriate location to keep her memory alive."
Several proposals are on the table for honoring Friedländer. In the district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, there's a resolution to name a square on the famous Kurfürstendamm. The Greens are advocating for this, citing Friedländer's appeal for humanity as a call for unity in the decision-making process.
Meanwhile, the SPD has proposed renaming Skalitzer Street in her honor. District mayor Clara Herrmann finds this idea appealing but cautions against rushing the process, emphasizing that a respectful commemoration should be a shared effort. As a child, Friedländer herself lived in Neukölln, and the SPD in that district has suggested renaming a local school in her name.
An online petition on change.org, backed by over 50,000 signatures, supports the idea of a monument for Friedländer. Given the significance of her legacy, the district office of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf has pledged cooperation with the Senate Chancellery in deciding the best way to honor this remarkable woman.
Margot Friedländer, who emigrated to the USA after World War II, spent her later years back in Berlin. She tirelessly advocated for humanity, democracy, and the remembrance of Nazi atrocities, often visiting schools to share her story.
- Margot Friedländer
- Berlin
- Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf
- Kurfürstendamm
- CDU
- SPD
- Holocaust Survivor
- Skalitzer Street
- Neukölln
- Kai Wegner
- Memorial Service
In the heart of Berlin, discussions on fitting tributes for Holocaust survivor and distinguished citizen, Margot Friedländer, are gaining political momentum. The Greens are advocating for a square on the famous Kurfürstendamm to be named in her honor, citing her appeal for humanity as a call for unity in decision-making, akin to the cooperation required in the EU's politics, such as the Commission's proposal for a common position on food labeling. Meanwhile, the SPD has proposed renaming Skalitzer Street in her honor, highlighting the need for a shared effort, as was demonstrated in Friedländer's own advocacy for humanity, democracy, and remembrance of Nazi atrocities.
