Listen closely. The Pfaffendorfer Brücke holds stories deeper than the Parthe river it crosses. This bridge is more than just stone and steel. It is a place of remembrance.
The Pfaffendorfer Brücke is a place where history took a dark turn. In November 1938 during the November Pogroms, hundreds of Jewish citizens of Leipzig were gathered near here. They were near the Parthe canal by the Pfaffendorfer Straße. This happened before their deportation.
Imagine the scene. Mobs of antisemitic onlookers jeered. They spat on these innocent people. The Pfaffendorfer Brücke became a tragic stage in world history. It should hold a central place in the city’s remembrance of the Holocaust victims.
There is an online petition to preserve the canal along the Pfaffendorfer Straße. The petition wants it to become a Holocaust memorial. The petition was started on April 28, 2024, by Aaron M. Reichardt.
The petition calls for several actions. The city should restore a section of the Parthe canal. This section is east of the Pfaffendorfer Straße. At least one side of the canal along the Parthestraße should be restored. This restoration should be near the memorial stone. This should happen even if the planned Parthe renovation proceeds.
The city should develop the site as a place of education and remembrance. Information boards and signs should be installed quickly. This would inform citizens and tourists about the historical context. The canal should be accessible at this point. Visitors can then experience the “victim’s perspective”. This makes the events more tangible. It also brings the fates of the people into sharper focus.
The city should also launch a design competition. This competition would focus on the canal. It would also focus on the adjacent sections of the Pfaffendorfer and Parthestraße. This competition would lay the foundation for further development. The development would be as a place of education and remembrance.
Major construction is planned for Pfaffendorfer Straße starting in 2025. The street will be completely renovated. This will cause closures for many months. The project includes renewal of the roadway and sidewalks. Also the project includes the renewal of tram tracks, power systems, and street lighting. Traffic lights and water lines will also be renewed.
The street renovation will occur in three phases. The first phase is from Tröndlinring to the Parthe bridge. The second is the area around the Zoo stop. The third is from the Zoo stop to Nordplatz.
The planned renovations also include improvements for cyclists. A bicycle traffic light will be added. Traffic patterns for cyclists will change.
Think about the weight of history as you stand here. The Pfaffendorfer Brücke connects us to a painful past. It reminds us of the importance of remembrance and respect. It is a call to never forget the victims of the Holocaust. It is a call to stand against antisemitism and hate in all its forms.