Memorial and Meeting Place Alter Leipziger Bahnhof in Dresden

Since July 2024, a project team from our group has been working on behalf of the City of Dresden to develop a concept for use and operation based on our vision for the place. The basis for this was the city’s call for tenders, which we won with our concept proposal.
The work is divided into three main areas:

Public relations and communication

We want to make our work as transparent as possible and strengthen the network of people involved in the creation of a memorial and meeting place at the former train station. This website is an essential part of this, as well as the establishment of social media channels and the further development of the work of our group.

Research on similar and outstanding memorial places

We will examine national and international memorials, documentation centers, and meeting places associated with Jewish life using a variety of criteria. For example, we will look at the form of organization, the history of development, the self-image of the place as well as the educational program.

Participation process

In more than 30 planned and guided interviews, we will conduct a proof of concept process in which we will ask key players from the Jewish community in Dresden, civil society, city and state politics, and experts in the field about their perspectives on our proposed concept. The central question is how to reconcile three different and conflicting ideas for the use of the site: commemoration of the victims of the Nazi regime, encounter with recent Jewish life, and an exhibition of the history of transportation. After conducting the interviews, we will know which aspects of the concept work, where further examination in needed, and what is not suitable to develop.

Period: 08/2024-02/2025
Client: City of Dresden, Office for Culture and Heritage Preservation

Information on the call for tenders and the competition, which we won with our submission, can be found on the website of the city of Dresden (in German).