Memorial of The Murdered Jews

History: The call for a memorial for the Jews existed since the 1980s, but a memorial wasn’t approved until June of 1999. Peter Eisenman designed the memorial, which contains 2,711 concrete slabs across a 1.9 hectare field. The design is meant to encourage personal reflection without specific interpretation. An information center was also included in the plan, which provides historical context about the atrocities of the Nazis. Construction of the memorial started in April 2003 and was finished in December 2004. It was opened to the public in May 2005. The memorial is managed by a foundation that also oversees other memorials in Berlin.

An image of the Memorial of the Murdered Jews.

My Visit: When I arrived, I was immediately greeted by tons of large, concrete blocks. I walked around them, and I figured out they symbolize the victims of the Nazi regime.

Me walking around the Memorial of the Murdered Jews.

I found the entrance to the underground museum, where they educate visitors about the history of the killings of the Jews by the Nazis. The museum displays quotes by Jews who survived the Nazis, and those who didn’t. Noticeably, the museum was almost silent, as I felt many were reflecting on the history. During my time in the museum, I was also reflecting, as I realized the true extent of the horrors the Nazis executed against the Jews.

The museum within Memorial of the Murdered Jews.

Afterwards, I decided to end the day by finally walking to Brandenburg Gate..

Photo Gallery:

The Memorial to the Murdered Jews at a different angle.