Memorial to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe – Route of the S21

After a three-hour top-level discussion on the evening of June 3 this year, the press office of the Senate Administration for the Environment, Transport and Climate Change announced:

“The route for the S21 must be chosen in such a way that the Memorial to the Murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe is protected to the maximum during the construction work. Discussions between the parties are now taking place at a very early stage in order to reach a good friendly solution. These talks will continue at the end of June.”

Director Uwe Neumärker emphasizes: “The primary objective of all further negotiations on the route of the S21 must be to preserve the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Dani Karavans, who were murdered in National Socialism, and which the Foundation has been supervising with the utmost conviction and with a legal mandate since 2012, even during the construction period.”

The following is an ongoing documentation of the comments and quotations on the course of the S21:

• 29 June 2020 The press office of the Senate Administration for the Environment, Transport and Climate Protection states: “There was again an intensive and constructive discussion on the subject last Friday. The parties agreed that a further review of the implications of the most important, technically possible variants of a route will be examined – and how the problems that arise in each case can be overcome. The aim remains to find a solution that protects the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe murdered in National Socialism. A follow-up meeting is planned after the summer break.”
• 25 June 2020 Dani Karavan, artist of the monument, says: “The monument to the murdered Sinti and Roma of Europe in its entirety must not be touched! A tram line can be moved, but not a work of art. Especially in the actual context of racist manifestations, any damage to the monument would be a violation of the Sinti-Roma. If someone dares to touch a part of the monument’s artistic ensemble, I will come personally and protect it with my body, sue the attacker and make an international scandal about it. The discussion about a possible exemption damages the dignity of the ensemble and must stop immediately.”
• 19 June 2020 A commentary by Romeo Franz, composer of violin at the monument, can be found here.