Keupstrasse: Memorial delayed until 2026 – Reker expresses regret

Keupstrasse: Memorial delayed until 2026 – Reker expresses regret

At the last meeting of the Mülheim district council you could meet Mayor Henriette Reker, who spoke about issues that affect the district. Among other things, Wiener Platz and the recently planned memorial on Keupstrasse were on the agenda. Reker announced that the memorial, which commemorates the victims of the NSU attack, cannot be realized in 2026 either. The reasons for this lie in the delay in obtaining a location and the associated financial challenges. The city does not own the property, which makes things complicated, and therefore Reker does not expect it to be realized before 2026. The rising construction costs do not make the project any easier, as these cannot be approved in the city budget. There is also uncertainty about a possible interim solution for the memorial.

During her approximately 90-minute visit to Mülheim, Reker also expressed her concern about Wiener Platz, which is considered a fear space and urgently needs to be upgraded. In collaboration with various social offerings and increased graffiti removal, measures will be taken to improve the design of the space and increase cleanliness in the future. The creation of a drug consumption room and new greenery elements are also planned. Old and new buildings as well as a new sculpture are intended to make Wiener Platz more attractive.

Progress in the memorial project

Also important is the fact that the “gentes group” is listed as the new owner of the property on Keupstrasse/Schanzenstrasse. A preliminary building application has already been submitted here, which the city of Cologne has classified as eligible for approval. This could be the first step towards a realistic implementation of the commemoration of the NSU victims, according to information from the city of Cologne.

A board of trustees made up of those directly affected by the attack will help shape the contents of the memorial in the future. At a council meeting on October 26, 2023, it was discussed which films and videos should be shown. Sarah Niknamtavin said that the NSU had targeted migrant people in several German cities. These recent events demonstrate an increasing interest in emphasizing the social relevance of the memorial, while at the same time providing space for discourses critical of racism.

Social responsibility

The involvement of those affected in important decision-making processes was emphasized at the meeting as a cornerstone of the project. Cologne politicians and city society are called upon to come to terms with the attacks of the past and to tackle structural changes. In particular, initiatives such as “Herkesin Meydanı – Space for Everyone” and “keupstrasse is everywhere” show how important dialogue about the place of remembrance is, which should give appropriate consideration to the victims. It is high time that Cologne's urban society pulls together to make it possible to commemorate these serious incidents.

Overall, it remains to be hoped that the coming years will finally bring the necessary steps to realize the memorial on Keupstrasse and to create a place that not only commemorates the past, but also addresses current social problems.