Delmenhorst refuses subsidy: Wehnen Memorial in crisis!

Delmenhorst refuses subsidy: Wehnen Memorial in crisis!

In Delmenhorst, the rejection of a funding application for the Wehnen memorial is causing a great deal of incomprehension and concern. Instead of the promised 5,000 euros that were originally made available for 2024, the subsidy was not received due to an administrative error. Ingo Harms, a member of the memorial group, expressed irritation at the decision of the Finance and Economic Committee, which did not approve the application from the SPD and the Delmenhorster List/The Left council group. Harms considers the justification to be inadequate and points out that the project draft has already been validated by the scientific commission of the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation. This was also reported by Weser-Kurier.

The Wehnen Memorial, which stands on the site of the former sanatorium and nursing home, commemorates the terrible starvation murders that were carried out against mentally ill people during the National Socialist era. In the period from the 1930s onwards, the number of deaths in the clinic near Bad Zwischenahn doubled, resulting in a shocking total of at least 1,500 deaths. This has been documented in the memorial for 21 years and was the result of the dedicated research of historian Ingo Harms, who has been uncovering the connections since the late 1990s. The memorial is currently run on a voluntary basis, but has limited capacity and no professional staff, which makes the situation even more difficult.

Difficult financial situation

The solution to the space problems could be a larger building complex for the Karl Jaspers Clinic. However, an impressive 740,000 euros are required for the renovation and redesign of the exhibition. The Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation has announced that it will cover half of the costs, but the remaining funds must be raised by the municipalities. A corresponding application for 370,000 euros was submitted to the Oldenburg district association, which has created some hurdles in terms of responsibility, as all nine cities and districts have to agree. While the city of Oldenburg contributes 9,000 euros annually, Delmenhorst had to withdraw the promised 5,000 euros. This development has further complicated the situation for the memorial group.

Harms criticizes the current lack of agreement among the municipalities and demands that everyone involved return to the table to clearly regulate the financial obligations. The Euthanasia Research Working Group has also called on the relevant actors to take responsibility. The historical analysis of the role of the Oldenburg District Association (BVO) during the Nazi era is criticized as insufficient; Nevertheless, the BVO sees itself as responsible, but cannot make any concrete decisions. The experiences from this uncertain financial situation show how important a clear statement and support at the local level is in order to be able to continue to operate and expand the memorial.

Changing culture of remembrance

The problems in Delmenhorst reflect a larger phenomenon in the German culture of remembrance. A study by the “Multidimensional Remembrance Monitor” (MEMO) shows that many Germans believe they are well informed about National Socialism, but have large gaps in their knowledge, for example about specific victim groups. 90 percent reject comparisons between the suffering during the corona pandemic and the suffering during the Nazi era, which indicates how difficult and complex the topic still is. Dealing with the Nazi past remains very relevant, especially in times when new forms of history communication are developing, such as digital access and interactive formats that particularly appeal to younger people.

The challenges facing the Wehnen Memorial illustrate how precious and necessary the memory of the victims of the Nazi era is. Without sufficient funding and support, the valuable work being done here could be at risk. It is time for both communities and society at large to take responsibility to preserve this important part of our history.