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Resistance among youth during the Nazi era: No special homage to the "Lille" on Bernhardiplatz?

City officials faced challenges accepting the Green Party's plan to erect an air quality monitoring station on Bernhardiplatz.

Nazi-Era Youth Resistance: Possible Omission of Tribute to "Lille" on Bernhardiplatz?
Nazi-Era Youth Resistance: Possible Omission of Tribute to "Lille" on Bernhardiplatz?

Resistance among youth during the Nazi era: No special homage to the "Lille" on Bernhardiplatz?

In the heart of Leipzig, Germany, a new memorial is set to be built at Bernhardiplatz, commemorating the city's youth resistance against National Socialism. However, no new memorial for the 'Lille' youth group is currently planned to be constructed at this location, as stated by the city administration.

The proposed memorial will stand where the 'Lille' youth group used to meet, serving as a symbol for the resistance of various Leipzig youth groups during the Nazi era. The realization of this memorial is expected to be completed by October 2028.

The cultural department is proposing a compromise solution for the remembrance of the 'Lille' youth group. One alternative approach could be to develop ideas for the use of the LED running texts of the recently inaugurated "Meuten Memorial" on the Lindenauer Market.

The "Meuten Memorial" stands as a cross-district memorial for commemorating youth resistance in the NS era. It consists of three stones, each measuring 1.4m x 0.5m x 0.5m, inviting visitors to linger. The memorial is equipped with an integrated LED running text and a QR code for accessing further information on the internet.

The "Meuten Memorial" refers to other places of youth groups in the Leipzig city area, including Reudnitz, Kleinzschocher, and Connewitz. It was originally initiated by the Youth Parliament and was inaugurated in April 2025. Sascha Lange was involved in its inauguration.

To further honour the 'Lille' youth group, the city administration is planning to organize a participation process for creating a memorial in the eastern part of the city, specifically at Bernhardiplatz. This process may involve theatre formats or mediation projects, similar to those with Johannes Herwig's 'Until the Stars Tremble' in 2023 at the Werk 2.

Civil society impulses for idea development remain crucial in the process of creating memorials. The city administration encourages citizens to contribute their ideas and memories to ensure a fitting tribute to the 'Lille' youth group and the city's broader history of resistance against National Socialism.

The compromise solution for memorializing the 'Lille' youth group involves developing ideas for the LED running texts of the "Meuten Memorial" on the Lindenauer Market, which could serve as a continued tribute to their resistance in the NS era. In addition to this, the city administration is planning to organize a participation process for creating a memorial in the eastern part of the city, specifically at Bernhardiplatz, where the public is encouraged to contribute their ideas and memories.

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