A small garden. A quiet place. This is the Gedenkstätte für die verstorbenen Kinder unserer Stadt. Here in Leipzig a memorial stands. It remembers the children lost to Nazi euthanasia. These were children with disabilities. They were murdered.
The Gedenkstätte für die verstorbenen Kinder unserer Stadt is more than just a memorial. It’s a space for reflection. It’s a reminder of a dark chapter in Leipzig’s history. It’s located near the Campus Jahnallee. Two artistic elements make up this powerful memorial.
One is a small garden. A concrete bench sits within. Its inscription reads “Small garden for the children”. A cherry tree provides shade. Students tend this space. Their care symbolizes hope. It also symbolizes the ongoing effort to remember. The garden gently reminds us. It reminds us of the suffering endured. The suffering was brought upon the victims. It was brought about by the Nazis and their collaborators. Many people were forcibly sterilized. Many children and young people were killed. They were killed because of their disabilities.
Opposite the garden is a concrete desk. It’s accompanied by two small chairs. One is placed in front of it the other behind. They’re made of cast iron. So is a telephone a stamp carousel and a book. This design. This design was created by Tobias Rost. He works at the Institute for Art Education. The empty chairs symbolize something powerful. Each person can assume the position. The position of both the victims and the perpetrators. This arrangement is quite striking. It’s striking within the context of a memorial. A memorial designed to remember victims.
The open book features text fragments. These fragments read “University of Leipzig / Killing program for disabled children / Involved / Thousands of children were murdered because of their disability.” Notably the names of the perpetrators are missing. This is intentional. The text must be read and completed in the viewer’s mind. It’s a call to active remembrance.
A nearby stele provides information. It’s about the children killed under the guise of euthanasia. This memorial encourages engagement. It encourages engagement with the exclusion and devaluation of people. This continues to be a problem today. It particularly impacts children with disabilities.
The Gedenkstätte für die verstorbenen Kinder unserer Stadt is poignant. It’s a place of quiet contemplation. It urges us to confront our past. It urges us to build a more inclusive future. It’s a vital space in Leipzig. It’s a place that remembers. It’s a place that ensures we will never forget.