Envision over 3,000 aluminum figures grabbing each other’s hands. They are connected by their feet. This is the essence of the Forced Laborer Memorial “Transit”. It stands here at Nuremberg’s Plärrer, a major traffic hub.
The “Transit” memorial serves as a poignant reminder. It keeps alive the memory of Nuremberg’s forced laborers during the Nazi era. Between 1939 and 1945, about 100,000 forced laborers from over 40 countries were employed by about 150 Nuremberg companies.
The focus was on the armaments industry. But deployments also happened in retail and city administration. Some laborers cleared rubble after bombing raids. This location is significant. The Plärrer was a popular meeting point for forced laborers. They used a waiting hall with an inn and public telephone for exchanging information.
The City of Nuremberg decided to erect a memorial in 1987. But it took 20 years from the resolution to the inauguration. Contemporary witness Rob Zweermann played a crucial role. He complained about the lack of a memorial. His suggestion gained support.
Extensive research revealed the scale of forced labor in Nuremberg. The Cultural Committee launched an artistic competition in 2004. Munich sculptor Hermann Pitz won with his “Transit” design in 2005. The jury included artists, historians, city councilors, and Zweermann himself.
The memorial’s concept was convincing. It combined the street and underground levels of the Plärrer. The inauguration took place on October 15, 2007. Former forced laborers from many countries attended.
Professor Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, a former Auschwitz prisoner, delivered the commemorative speech. Robert Zweermann spoke on behalf of all forced laborers. He said the memorial “gives shape to the essence of our common existence at that time.”
Lord Mayor Dr. Ulrich Maly emphasized the memorial’s functions. It commemorates those deprived of dignity. It forms part of the city’s culture of remembrance. It contributes to assuming political responsibility for German guilt.
This six-meter-high, funnel-shaped sculpture sits on the subway station’s light dome. It is visible both at street level and underground. Three text panels display the words “forced labor” in twelve languages. They include a statement by the City of Nuremberg.
The statement reads: “From 1939 to 1945 people were deprived of their dignity. Nuremberg, the city of peace and human rights, commemorates the suffering of the foreign workers… and confesses the injustice done to them.”
The City of Nuremberg invested 50,000 Euros in the memorial. Despite this commitment, Rob Zweermann criticized the long realization process. He also felt the budget was inadequate.
Regardless of the criticism, the “Transit” memorial stands. It serves as a visible reminder. It ensures that the history of forced laborers in Nuremberg remains in our collective memory. The underground part of the memorial features the same pattern of metal figurines. Here, the figurines are placed upside down. They hang with their heads pointing down. Take a moment to reflect on the weight of this memorial.