Remember the girls. The Mächen Statue stands as a powerful reminder of difficult history. This is the Friedensstatue a monument for the comfort women. These women and girls were forced into sexual slavery. It happened in Japanese military brothels during World War II. The Mächen Statue also stands against sexual violence. It is against all girls and women who face such violence today.
The Korea Verband initiated this Mächen Statue. It was unveiled on September 28 2020. This statue sparked important conversations. People started talking about commemorative cultures. They discussed it at local state and diplomatic levels.
Kim Eun-sung and Kim Seo-kyung designed the Mächen Statue. They are South Korean artists. This is the first statue of its kind in Germany. It is in a public space.
Look closely at the statue’s design. You will see a bronze girl. She wears traditional Korean clothing a Hanbok. Her clothes and age show what the victims experienced when they were taken. Many comfort women were very young.
The Mächen Statue sits on a chair. There is an empty chair next to her. Consider the empty chair. Think about the experiences of these women.
There has been debate around the Mächen Statue. Some people tried to remove it. They said it promoted hate. They felt it did not align with reconciliation values. Others fought for it to stay. They believed it was important to remember this history.
The district assembly voted to keep the Mächen Statue permanently. The Korea Verband asked for the statue to stay longer. The district office agreed for another year. Later the permission was extended for two more years.
The artists Kim Seo Kyung and Kim Eun Sung have faced censorship. In 2019 an art exhibition in Nagoya Japan featured a similar statue. It was closed suddenly.
The first Friedensstatue was erected in Seoul in 2011. It stands before the Japanese Embassy. Now you can find similar monuments worldwide. They are in the USA Canada Australia Hong Kong and the Philippines.
The first memorial for comfort women is in Tateyama Japan. It has stood since 1986. An earlier effort in Germany failed in Freiburg. This was due to Japanese diplomatic pressure. The sculpture then went to the Nepal-Himalaya Park near Regensburg. Another memorial is at the Korean Evangelical Church in Frankfurt. Since July 8 2022 another Friedensstatue is on the University of Kassel campus.
The Mächen Statue is more than just a sculpture. It represents a fight for justice. It remembers the victims of sexual violence. It encourages us to talk about difficult history. It reminds us to stand up for girls and women everywhere.