Display of devastating acts associated with "euthanasia" atrocities

The city of Marburg is set to host an thought-provoking exhibition, titled "Persecution of Disabled People in National Socialism". The exhibition, which runs from August 22 until October 30, 2025, is located at the Catholic meeting house KA.RE. in the city centre.

Organized by the working group "Menschenbild Behinderter Gestern und Heute" in cooperation with the city of Marburg and the Catholic community center KA.RE., the exhibition sheds light on a dark chapter of history, documenting the systemic persecution and murder of people with mental, intellectual, and physical disabilities during the Nazi era.

The exhibition includes biographical sketches of victims, remembrance of victims of NS forced sterilization, and a poignant installation called "Stones Against Forgetting". This installation remembers at least 333 Marburg "euthanasia" victims, with each victim's name, date of birth, and day of murder in the killing institution Hadamar inscribed on a brick.

The exhibition has been designed with barrier-free access in mind, ensuring it is accessible to all. Easy-to-Read and Simple Language texts for roll-ups, German sign language summaries of multimedia stations, and audio descriptions for people with visual impairments have been included.

The opening event, or vernissage, will take place on August 22 at 7 PM, with a greeting speech from Dr. Thomas Spies, Mayor of the City, and musical accompaniment from singer Latoya Reitzner. A "Peer Tour" has been developed for young people, guided by peers, to specifically address them.

The framework program of the exhibition includes various events such as lectures, discussion rounds, and film screenings. More information about the exhibition can be found at www.marburgmachtmit.de/eugenik.

The exhibition is a loan from the Memorial and Information Site Tiergartenstraße 4 in Berlin and is managed by the Berlin Foundation Topography of Terror. The Lebenshilfe Werk Marburg-Biedenkopf e.V. supported the creation of the installation "Stones Against Forgetting".

The exhibition in Marburg has a unique feature: it includes local history of persecution supplemented by the working group "Human Image of Disabled People Yesterday and Today" within the "Marburg Network for Democracy and against Right-wing Extremism". The exhibition emphasizes the dangers of hate, incitement, inhumanity, and devaluation of people, and the importance of ensuring such events never happen again.

The exhibition is free to attend and is open from Thursday to Sunday from 4 PM to 8 PM and by appointment. Guided tours can be booked by sending an email to [email protected]. Sign up for the newsletter of the University City of Marburg to receive regular important information from the town hall and city life directly to your email inbox.