The Stadthaus Remembrance Site Reopening
After extensive renovations, the Stadthaus Remembrance Site reopened on July 3 and 4, 2023. It can now be visited between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday to Saturday. In addition to permanent and temporary exhibitions, there are more educational offerings as well as participatory concepts developed by the relatives of the persecuted and stakeholders.
Reopening Evening Celebration
With more than 80 guests, the official reopening of the Stadthaus Remembrance Site took place on July 3. Oliver von Wrochem, Director of the Hamburg Memorials and Learning Sites Foundation, and Carsten Brosda, Senator for Culture and Media, welcomed the guests. In her speech, Alyn Beßmann, director of the Stadthaus History Site, emphasized, "It is important to our team that as many diverse forms of remembering and active engagement with the history of National Socialism as possible become visible at the Stadthaus History Site."
Detlef Baade, son of resistance fighter Herbert Baade, and Bengt Ole Burmester, grandson of Carl Burmester, who was tortured to death in the Stadthaus, spoke about their relatives as well as their perspectives on the historical site and the development of the Stadthaus History Site. Detlef Baade concluded his speech with Sophie Scholl's call, "You can't just be against it, you have to do something!" Marlene Demmler and Mila Safavi from the Schauspielschule Bühnenstudio Hamburg read reports from persecuted people about their interrogations in the Stadthaus. The duo of Tornado Rosenberg, themselves descendants of persecuted people, provided musical accompaniment at the event.
Open House Day
The following day, during an open house, more than 140 visitors informed themselves about the new offerings in the redesigned Stadthaus History Site. They were able to take part in tours and used the opportunity to talk to staff members Christine Eckel and Christiane Heß.