“Remember those who suffered.” These words echo at the Gedenkstätte der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft. It is a place of somber reflection. The memorial stands as a stark reminder of Lübeck’s dark past. It honors the victims of Nazi tyranny.
The Gedenkstätte der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft is located at the Torweg of the Zeughaus am Lübecker Dom. It is not just a monument. It is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Inscriptions mark the stone. They read: “Dem Gedenken der Lübecker Bürger, die in den Jahren 1933 bis 1945 aus politischen, religiösen und rassistischen Gründen Opfer der nationalsozialistischen Gewaltherrschaft wurden.” This translates to: “In memory of the citizens of Lübeck who, in the years 1933 to 1945, became victims of National Socialist tyranny for political, religious, and racist reasons.”
Another inscription speaks volumes. “Ihr Leidensweg begann in vielen Fällen hier, in den Haftzellen der Geheimen Staatspolizei im Keller des ehemaligen Zeughauses.” Meaning: “Their path of suffering often began here, in the prison cells of the Secret State Police in the basement of the former armory.”
The Gedenkstätte der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft marks a place of immense suffering. The Zeughaus basement held the Gestapo’s prison cells. Many victims were incarcerated and tortured there. From this place, their journeys to concentration camps often began.
For years, one group of victims was missing. The memorial did not initially acknowledge homosexual victims. The National Socialists considered homosexuality an unnatural condition. They saw it as a plague to be eradicated. In 1933, they closed LGBT venues. They destroyed LGBT organizations and publications.
In 1934, the systematic persecution of homosexual men began. Over 100000 men were registered by police. Around half were convicted under Paragraph 175. This law criminalized homosexual acts. Approximately 10000 to 15000 gay men were sent to concentration camps. More than half did not survive.
Lübeck itself saw a mass arrest in January 1937. Two hundred thirty men were arrested. They were taken to the Zeughaus, then the Gestapo headquarters. Prisoners were interrogated and tortured. They were forced to denounce each other. Some were charged under Paragraph 175. Some were imprisoned. Some were sent to concentration camps.
Today, a plaque stands to the right of the Gedenkstätte der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft. It remembers those persecuted and murdered for their homosexual identity.
The Gedenkstätte der Opfer der Gewaltherrschaft is a place to remember all victims. It reminds us of the consequences of intolerance. It calls us to stand against injustice. It is a place to reflect on the value of human dignity. Let us never forget the lessons of the past.