Eugen Jentsch: Delmenhorst is reminiscent of its popular mayor

Eugen Jentsch: Delmenhorst is reminiscent of its popular mayor

Today marks the 25th anniversary of an important date in Delmenhorst's history: on October 19, 2000, the former mayor Eugen Jentsch died at the age of 75 after a serious illness. Jentsch was an influential figure in the city for decades. His commitment reached across party political boundaries and was noticed not only in the city council, where he was active for an impressive 30 years, but especially as chairman of the sports committee. For nine years he was mayor of Delmenhorst and also supported the trade, including as head of the hairdressers' guild. The Weser-Kurier commemorates this impressive life path, which was characterized by a warm nature and personal commitment.

But Remembrance Day also brings current issues to the table, particularly with regard to the examination of history. The Delmenhorst Museums, in collaboration with the State Center for Civic Education, have launched a project that deals with the documentation of National Socialist places of worship in Lower Saxony. The aim is to name the places that unfortunately too often disappear from public consciousness. In the Delmenhorst neighborhood there are important sites such as the former Stedingsehre open-air theater and the Hilligenloh ancestral site.

The importance of memorials

Dealing with painful pasts is a sensitive but necessary part of community. Memorials to the victims of National Socialism play a central role here. They document the exclusion, disenfranchisement and extermination of various groups, including Jews, Roma and Sinti as well as those who are politically resistant. There are a number of regional memorial sites in Lower Saxony that have been created since the 1980s, supported by associations, initiatives and municipalities. The Lower Saxony memorial landscape is continually being developed and is supported by the Lower Saxony Memorials Foundation, founded in 2004, to keep awareness of the years 1933 to 1945 alive.

This institution has set itself the task of supporting the work of existing memorial sites and aims to anchor knowledge about persecution and resistance in society. Because every memorial is not only a place of remembrance, but also of democracy education. It promotes tolerance, civil courage and an understanding of human dignity and human rights - values ​​that are still of great importance today.

Shaping the future

The Hude forest swimming pool interest group is now taking the initiative and calling for people to take part in a questionnaire on the future of the forest swimming pool. A successful example of how citizens can actively participate in the shape of their surroundings. This is also a part of living civil society, which is based on the values ​​of tolerance and community engagement.

So Delmenhorst remains, both in terms of its history and its future, a lively place with a lively social life that is worth constantly being reconsidered and helped to shape with commitment.