On the anniversary of the death of the White Rose resistance fighters, an old fence at the Ostbahnhof comes into focus.
Because there was a document of contemporary history.
Munich - When it comes to history and commemoration, people are simple: everything they can see or touch makes them easier to understand.
This is what the old iron fence is about, which is rusting to itself on Orleansstrasse in Haidhausen: It is not important because it now limits a parking lot near the Ostbahnhof.
The fence is of historical significance because it was on it that the only joint photos of the White Rose resistance group were taken almost eight decades ago.
The members who stood up to the Nazis' terror regime with thousands of leaflets distributed met on July 23, 1942 at this very same fence.
White Rose - Anniversary of the death of the Scholl siblings
Hans and Sophie Scholl were arrested on February 18, 1943 after a leaflet campaign against the Nazi regime and sentenced to death by the People's Court.
On February 22, 1943, they were executed in Munich-Stadelheim.
Hans and Sophie Scholl were 24 and 21 years old.
White Rose - Instead of a fence in Orleanstrasse, there should be a memorial site
After years of discussion, it is now clear that iron construction will have a future.
As reported, there will be a memorial at the “Orleanshöfen”, which will be built in Haidhausen by 2028.
In addition, the idea is taken up to pass on steles to houses that bear the names of the resistance fighters.
"20 schools and institutions have already registered with us that would like to have a piece of the fence," says Hildegard Kronawitter.
The chairwoman of the White Rose Foundation is happy about the inquiries that she receives from all over Germany.
Interested parties include, for example, the Academy of Science in Mainz, a vocational school in Bremerhaven, a future workshop in Berlin-Pankow and high schools in Schleswig-Holstein and the Eifel.
The middle school in Murnau, where the resistance fighter Christoph Probst was born *, is also showing interest.
However, according to Kronawitter, there is still a lot to be clarified before the new memorial sites can be created.
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Hildegard Kronawitter, chairwoman of the White Rose Foundation, at the fence at the Ostbahnhof.
© Achim Frank Schmidt
The city council's planning committee has just given the “Orleanshöfe” project the green light - combined with the decision to place a memorial on Orleansstrasse.
The city's cultural department will probably be commissioned with the implementation.
The owner of the fence is the construction investor, who is said to have given their approval for further use.
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Fence with historical significance: in the summer of 1942, the only photos were taken of the members of the White Rose who fought against the terror of the Nazi regime with leaflets.
© Achim Frank Schmidt
White Rose: On July 23, 1942, a document of contemporary history was created on this fence
The site used to belong to Deutsche Bahn.
And even in July 1942, when the members of the White Rose met there, the tracks to the Ostbahnhof still ran here.
The Scholl siblings met with their fellow students that summer day.
Some of the medical students left for the medical service on the Eastern Front.
Because other trains had priority, the group had time - among other things for farewell photos.
Jürgen Wittenstein pressed the shutter release and created - without realizing it - documents of contemporary history.
White Rose Memorial Concert
Exactly 78 years ago on Monday (February 22nd) that Hans and Sophie Scholl were beheaded together with Christoph Probst in Munich-Stadelheim.
Your interrogation protocol shows courage, like Merkur.de *.
On the day of the death of the resistance fighters, there will be an organ concert this Monday at 6 p.m.
It can be seen on the Foundation's Youtube channel:
* Merkur.de and tz.de are part of the Ippen-Digital network