A legal dispute over a Holocaust monument in Amsterdam

In Amsterdam, a group of residents is fighting to stand against a planned Holocaust memorial in the US star architect Daniel Libeskind. It is already the second location, against the objections were raised.

By Ludger Kazmierczak, ARD-Studio, The Hague,

A 400-Meter-long maze of red brick walls. 102.000 stones. In each the Name of one of Amsterdam's Holocaust is inscribed with the victim. The model of the American artist Daniel Libeskind was impressive, place Jacques Grishaver, Chairman of the Dutch Auschwitz Committee.

"If you are going through this Monument and you see this 102.000 stones with names, then you feel the first time the extent of the Whole. You read how old people are: 21 years, 2 years, 89 - all ages come out."

wanted to move in As the beginning of the year, the city cases, for the construction of the monument of the 24 trees in the Weesperstraat, managed some local residents to stop the project by the parties. You would have nothing against a Holocaust memorial, emphasize the critics. But with nearly 15 million euros, the Libeskind design was cost-too expensive and too bulky for the narrow green strip on which the name of the maze is to be created. Local residents are incensed:

"This is a very large monument that fills almost the entire area here. The city has not considered, that you as a Monument not just as a UFO in a residential area can put – without thinking in the consequences."

"No models, no drawings, no discussion. The policy has never spoken to us about it."

The American star architect Daniel Libeskind designed the monument.

No understanding for criticism

this is the second location, against the Amsterdam objections have. But Jacques Grishaver has not the slightest understanding for the arguments of the inhabitants in the former Jewish quarter of the city.

"I, the model would be excellent. I can't even comprehend that such a small group of people is against it. The say: we don't want to look out of our window to a tourist attraction. I don't think that's an attraction."

The opponents of the draft resent the fact that they are forced by the initiators of the Monument in an anti-Semitic corner. In a newspaper interview, Libeskind had compared the project's critics indirectly with Holocaust deniers.

Not a factual debate

The Star-architect with Polish-Jewish roots of its design and the location convinced.

"It is part of the city. Where the monument is to be created, lived 178 Jewish families. It is exactly the right place, and it is time to build this monument. We're not talking about trees, or dogs. We talk about the Holocaust. A crime in which millions of people were murdered - here in this city and in this country."

in The case of the Holocaust Monument is no longer conducted in a factual, but very emotional. Now, the Amsterdam judge to decide whether the project can still be implemented.

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Holocaust commemoration on Instagram, 02.05.2019 news Atlas |Netherlands |Amsterdam

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