"Not Just a Memorial"
At the ‘Hannoverscher Bahnhof Memorial’, 20 plaques commemorate the names of more than 8,000 Jews, Sinti and Roma from Hamburg and northern Germany who were deported from Hannoverscher Bahnhof railway station between 1940 and 1945. Behind each of these names is a story. The Nazi persecutions and deportations continue to have an impact to this day, particularly on the lives of the relatives of the deportees.
At the remembrance site, the photographic installation ‘Not Just a Memorial’ showcases one former victim of Nazi persecution and seven descendants of deportees. Personal quotes illustrate what the ‘Hannoverscher Bahnhof Memorial’ means to each of them.
The installation makes it clear that, even today, the memorial site still plays an important role for many people in addressing their family history. Firstly, as a place of personal mourning and remembrance, but also as a call to actively help shape society. The installation shows the wide range of perspectives on the events and the site itself from the point of view of those involved in the project.
We are most grateful to the persons portrayed here for agreeing to participate in the project and their willingness to tell their stories.
The installation in the Fuge [Swathe] at the ‘Hannoverscher Bahnhof Memorial’ is accessible to visitors at any time. A brochure with the biographies of those portrayed is available from the Information Pavilion on Lohseplatz during opening hours (daily from 12 noon to 6 pm).
The project is part of a series of interventions to be shown at Lohsepark ahead of the opening of the ‘Hannoverscher Bahnhof Memorial’ documentation centre in 2026. The viewpoints of the descendants will also play a role in the future permanent exhibition at the documentation centre.
The installation is by the Foundation of Hamburg Memorials and Learning Centres Commemorating the Victims of Nazi Crimes, in co-operation with HafenCity Hamburg GmbH. The persons portrayed were photographed by Miguel Ferraz Araújo.