Germany has a long and very interesting history, and its main capital city Berlin is a city worth visiting because it has dangerous, interesting historical sites. Amongst them is the German Resistance Memorial Center, website that acts as a reminder of the heroic men and women who fought against the Nazi regime in World War II. Come with me in this blog post as we look at what the German Resistance Memorial Center is all about and why it is an important landmark in Berlin.
The History of the German Resistance Memorial Center
In Berlin, the German Resistance Memorial Center, also due to its location in a former building, Barrack Block, close to the famous Tiergarten Park, is called Gedenkstätte Deutscher Widerstand. The Bendlerblock was the basement of the German Armed Forces High Command that grew into the key site of resistance against Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime.
In 1980 the German Federal Parliament initiated its establishment. The memorial was inaugurated as a memorial and archive in honor of those individuals who actively opposed Hitler’s dictatorship from 1933 to 1945.
Remembering the Resistance Fighters
And it is at the German Resistance Memorial Center (Gertraudstr) that the opportunity to hear about the individual, and sometimes group, resistance to Nazi tyranny exists. In the center there were exhibitions of the stories of some of these brave individuals, their motivations, and what challenges they faced. You can explore personal testimonies, photographs and documents on their journey for freedom.
The Exhibition
The German Resistance Memorial Center exhibition is organised into sections that deal with a number of different issues of Nazi resistance. It shows the variety of the resistance movement and details the political and social background of the resistance fighters.
One of the larger areas in the exhibition involves the attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944, a point known as the ‘Valkyrie’ plot, which was a failure. This section discusses the facts of events that directly lead up to the plot, the events after, and the characters who figured out in the plot.
The center also serves to better address the role played by women in the resistance movement, who were often overlooked, but most important, they had an important role in challenging the Nazi regime.
The Memorial Courtyard and Bendlerblock Execution Site
A Memorial Courtyard will be adjacent to the exhibition area and it is a place for remembrance and reflection. The ceremonies commemorate the victims of the Nazi regime, and accord honour to those who died for the cause of freedom.
Key figures in the July 20, 1944 plot against Hitler were executed in the Bendlerblock itself. You can go to the site of execution today and honor the fighters who died fighting the tyranny.
Why Visit the German Resistance Memorial Center?
Visiting the German Resistance Memorial Center is a meaningful and educational experience for several reasons:
- It allows us to learn the way individuals and groups struggled to thwart the Nazi regime and to safeguard of human rights.
- It also tells lesser known stories of resistance, and a broad variety of people who fought against Hitler.
- However, it is also a reflection and a remembrance for those who died to offer their lives in order to set others free.
- It skews itself to teach us that if we stand for justice, it is worth standing, even if the challenge is impossible.
Plan Your Visit
If you are planning to visit the German Resistance Memorial Center, here are a few practical details to help you:
- Location: Stauffenbergstraße 13– 14, 10785 Berlin.
- Opening Hours: The center’s hours are Tuesday til Sunday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
- Admission: The center is free to enter, but donations are welcome to help keep it open and to help pay for educational activities.
- Guided Tours: In both German and English there are guided tours available. A deeper understanding of the exhibitions and the historical context. However, you can also check the center’s website for the tour schedule.
Conclusion
The German Resistance Memorial Center is so important landmark in Berlin, which does help preserving the moments of the brave people who resisted against the Nazi regime. If you come here just for this, you will know as to why this movement walked as it did, especially in the face of adversity. When we look back, we reflect on how far we have to go to get to better place.
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