On 29 October 2003, at the invitation of the Bundestag President, the previously announced discussion took place between the chair of the Foundation Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse, and the chair of the Board of Degussa AG, Düsseldorf, Professor Utz-Hellmuth Felcht. Under discussion was the outcome of the meeting of the Foundations Board of Trustees on 23 October. In this meeting it was concluded that in view of the particular history of Degussa AG, use of the anti-graffiti product made by this company for the stelae was unacceptable given the specific nature of the Memorial project. The Board of Trustees therefore resolved to put the delivery and erection of the stelae on hold for the time being and look into the technical, legal and financial consequences of using another product or commissioning another company to protect the stelae against graffiti. A new meeting will be called to make the necessary decisions.
Bundestag President Thierse emphasised during the discussion yesterday: »I greatly respect Degussas efforts to deal with its history and am grateful for the companys involvement in finding a constructive solution to the problems which have arisen. The feelings of Holocaust survivors and descendants of murdered Jews formed the basis for the Foundations decision.«
Chair of the Degussa Board, Felcht: »The Bundestag President and I had a good, confidence-building discussion. We talked extensively about the Board of Trustees decision and the Bundestag President explained the Foundations reasoning and motives to me in detail. On Degussas part, I expressed how despondent our employees feel, particularly in view of the earnest endeavours to deal with our companys history. I regret the Foundations decision, but I respect it.«
The discussion was conducted in an open and factual way.
