Pictures: Commemoration and Protest on November 9, 2019, in Berlin-Mitte

On occasion of the 81st anniversary of the November Pogroms of 1938, a grouping related to the “Reichsbürger” scene held a rally through the center of Berlin. Civic protest events as well as a demonstration to commemorate the victims took place.

Commemorative reading on Bebelplatz, location of the book burnings by the Nazis during the 1930s – November 9, 2019, Photo: Florian Boillot 

More than 250 participants joined the protest event hosted by Bündnis für ein weltoffenes und tolerantes Berlin at Bebelplatz. The commemorative reading under the slogan “Für ein würdiges Gedenken” fullfilled its slogan. Readings from diverse books by authors whose works were burned by the Nazis in 1933, occupied the square for several hours despite the poor weather and confronted the marching Reichsbürger grouping with inclusive formats of an active commemoration along their marching route. The book burnings constitute an important event in the national socialist history leading to the November Pogroms. Only five years after 1933, synagogues were burning in Berlin. Berliners, spokespersons of the hosting committee, Omas gegen Rechts Berlin, the neighborhood initiative Anwohner_inneninititive für Zivilcourage – Gegen Rechts, and many more brought books and filled the program of the protest event with contributions of their own.

Action campaign: constitutional laws against Reichsbürger – November 9, 2019, Photo: Berlin gegen Nazis 

Alongside the commemoration, the participants took a stance against the passing Reichsbürger, who marched with about 130 supporters. As part of this march, speakers publicly uttered anti-Semitism and conspiracy ideologies. Reichsbürger for instance believe the FRG is a corporation and the constitutial laws do not apply. Protesters therefore held not only banners and posters but also presented the Reichsbürger with the booklet containing the constitutional law. Many protestors directly went to the opening event of the Reichsbürger march, and there was a continuous counter-protest visible along the entire marching route.

Speech by Peter Neuhof at Mahnmal Levetzovstraße during the protest event by VVN-BdA Berlin – Berlin, November 9, 2019, Photo: Florian Boillot 

In the evening, the annual event hosted by Berliner Vereinigung der Verfolgten des Naziregimes/Bund der Antifaschistinnen und Antifaschisten-VVN-BdA, which has been held annually since 1990, took place in Moabit. During the commemorative event entitled with Primo Levi’s quote “Es ist geschehen, und folglich kann es wieder geschehen”, Peter Neuhof, born in 1925, gave a speech. Attendants placed roses at the Levetzowstraße memorial. Then, the anti-fascist commemorative demonstration with about 900 participants marched towards the memorial on Putlitzbrücke, from where Jews were deported in 1942. The demonstration marched in silence upon arrival at Putlitzbrücke, where once again flowers were laid at the memorial.

Pics of the day, Protests and Commemoration on November 9, 2019 in Berlin 

Commemorative reading on Bebelpaltz, location of the book burnings by the Nazis during the 1930s, during the protest event under the slogan “Für ein würdiges Gedenken” hosted by the alliance Bündnis für ein weltoffenes und tolerantes Berlin, November 9, 2019, Photos: Florian Boillot

Omas gegen Rechts Berlin singing at the protest event organized by the alliance Bündnis für ein weltoffenes und tolerantes Berlin, Bebelplatz, November 9, 2019, Photo: Florian Boillot

Slogans and banners at the protest event on Bebelplatz opposing the march by a grouping of Reichsbürger – November 9, 2019, Photo: Berlin gegen Nazis
Commemorative reading during the protest event under the slogan “Für ein würdiges Gedenken”, Bebelplatz, November 9, 2019, Photo: Florian Boillot 

Protest and consititutinal law at Bebelplatz opposing the Reichsbürger march, who believe in the conspiracy ideology that the constitutional law does not apply. November 9, 2019, Photos: Florian Boillot

Protest on Bebelplatz against the passing march of Reichsbürger. November 9, 2019, Photo: Florian Boillot
Protest against the speeches given during the march of Reichsbürger at Straße Unter den Linden – November 9, 2019. Photo: Berlin gegen Nazis

Protest during the start of the march of the Reichsbürger grouping at Lustgarten, November 9, 2019. Photo: Berlin gegen Nazis

Commemorating the November Pogroms at the memorials Levetzovstraße and Putlitzbrücke as well as anti-fascist demonstration on November 9, 2019 in Moabit under the slogan “ Es ist geschehen, und folglich kann es wieder geschehen“ organized by VVN-BdA Berlin.
Photos: Florian Boillot