ODER-WARTA REGION
On 5 May 2025, the final event of the project "Remembering Together - 80 Years of the End of the Second World War 2025" took place at the Museum Berlin-Karlshorst. During a short workshop, the project results were presented and discussed with the participants.
The group was then given a guided tour of the permanent exhibition in the museum. A minute's silence was held for the victims of the Second World War in the Hall of Surrender.
On 16 April 2025, 80 years ago, the Berlin Operation began with the Battle of the Seelow Heights, which is considered one of the most costly military conflicts on German soil during the Second World War.
Even before the actual commemoration took place at the Seelow Heights memorial, the day began at 9.30 a.m. with a festive event at the Seelow (Mark) historical railway station. As part of this kick-off, the museum's new vector, the Liberation Route Europe, was officially inaugurated - a significant step in the further development of the museum's educational work. The guests also received an introduction to the newly designed history trail, which was presented in an illustrative presentation. In future, this trail will provide an insight into the events surrounding the Red Army's route to Berlin in 1945 in the Oder-Warthe region and enable both locals and visitors from Germany and abroad to reflect on history.
This was followed by the official memorial ceremony at 11.00 a.m. at the memorial to those who died in the Battle of the Seelow Heights. Numerous visitors had gathered to commemorate the dead and to set an example of peace and reconciliation. Among those present were representatives from politics and society from various nations - a clear sign of the ongoing international interest in a shared culture of remembrance.
The day's events were characterised by pausing, dignified remembrance and the common endeavour not to allow the lessons of history to be forgotten
On 30 March 2025, a commemorative event was held in Kostrzyn nad Odrą to mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation from Hitler fascism and the liberation of the Stalag 3c prisoner of war camp by the Red Army. During the ceremony, the Küstrin fortress was officially included in the Liberation Route Europe (LRE). The mayor of Seelow, Robert Nitz, symbolically handed over the LRE vector to the mayor of Kostrzyn, Dr Andrzej Kunt. This award recognises the historical significance of Kostrzyn as part of the European culture of remembrance. The event emphasised the need for remembrance and German-Polish cooperation. Numerous guests attended to commemorate the victims and reflect on our shared history.
Spring 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. In Klessin, a neighbourhood of Podelzig in the district of Märkisch-Oderland, this occasion will be marked with various commemorative events.
The memory of this time is kept alive today by the "Klessin Castle Theatre of War" memorial, which was opened in 2023. On 22 March 2025, a central commemorative event was held in Klessin, where the commemorative vector of the "Liebration Route Europe" was inaugurated by Eike Schwarzbach (Heimatverein), Robert Nitz (Mayor of the town of Seelow) and Dirk Röder.
In addition, an association continues to campaign for the recovery and dignified burial of fallen soldiers.
The memorial events in Klessin and the surrounding area not only commemorate the victims of the battles, but also serve as a reminder to come to terms with history. Further information can be found on the memorial website "Klessin Castle as a theatre of war" to find.
From 11 to 13 March 2025, Krakow hosted the Annual Congress of the Liberation Route Europe (LRE) took place. The event brought together experts, historians and members from all over Europe to discuss current projects and future developments in the field of remembrance culture.
The members' seminar kicked off on Tuesday at 9.00 a.m., in which, among other things, the project "History trail of war events in 1945 in the Oder - Warta region" was presented.
The participants then deepened their knowledge in various workshops that focussed on modern approaches to teaching history. The focus was on two central topics:
The day was rounded off with a Conferenceat which high-calibre speakers provided insights into current challenges and projects in the culture of remembrance. A particular highlight was the presentation by the director of the Second World War Museum in Kiev (UA), who spoke about the importance of historical education in times of crisis.
The Expo followed on Wednesday, where participants were able to find out about various projects and initiatives. Flyers, brochures and other materials were exchanged, and there was the opportunity to hold meetings and establish new collaborations.
The LRE General Assembly in Krakow impressively demonstrated how modern technologies and sustainable concepts can help to keep the legacy of the Second World War alive and make it accessible for future generations
On 31 January 2025, the municipality of Kienitz in Brandenburg's Oderbruch region commemorated the 80th anniversary of the historic crossing of the Oder by the Red Army in 1945, when Soviet troops established the first bridgehead on the western bank of the Oder in Kienitz - a decisive step on the way to the liberation of Berlin.
The commemorative ceremony began with a lyrical and musical contribution by pupils, followed by the presentation of the Liberation Route Europe vector by the Mayor Robert Nitz.
This was followed by wreath-laying ceremonies at the T-34 tank memorial and the memorial to the victims of the Second World War. Among the guests were the District Administrator of Märkisch-Oderland, Gernot Schmidt (SPD), the Mayor of Letschin, Michael Böttcher, and representatives of other nations.
In their speeches, the speakers emphasised the importance of remembrance and the responsibility to keep history alive. The Russian ambassador emphasised the role of the Soviet Union in the liberation of Germany and thanked the local authorities for maintaining the memorials. Contemporary witnesses recalled the dramatic events of 1945, when many inhabitants lost their lives in air raids and the village was almost completely destroyed.
The commemorative event in Kienitz emphasised the importance of shared remembrance as the basis for peace and reconciliation in Europe.
On 31 January 2025, a memorial event was held in the Polish municipality of Słońsk to commemorate the victims of the former Sonnenburg concentration camp. Numerous guests from Poland, Germany and other countries gathered to commemorate the crimes of National Socialism. The event began with speeches by the mayor of Słońsk and various representatives of the Polish side, and at the end Dirk Röder handed over the vector of the Liberation Route Europe. The event concluded with the laying of a wreath in front of the memorial
The mayor of Słońsk emphasised the importance of remembrance for the future of Europe. A representative of the German embassy spoke about Germany's responsibility to keep remembrance alive and promote reconciliation.
Afterwards, an exhibition in the Słońsk museum offered insights into the history of the camp and its inmates. The commemorative event ended with a silent walk through the grounds of the former prison. Many visitors expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to mourn and reflect together.
This event emphasises the importance of remembering the dark chapters of history - as a reminder and as a basis for peaceful coexistence
Site of the German surrender in May 1945
The Berlin-Karlshorst Museum is located at a site of world-historical significance: this is where the Second World War in Europe ended on 8 May 1945. In the museum building, the commanders-in-chief of the German Wehrmacht signed an agreement in front of representatives of the Soviet Union, the USA, Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
and France's unconditional surrender. The historic rooms have been preserved in their original state.
The museum
The museum was originally founded in 1967 as a "surrender museum" by the Soviet troops in Germany. The tanks and guns in the grounds are a legacy of this period. The museum was re-established after German reunification. Today, former opponents of the war commemorate the Second World War together here.
The exhibition
The exhibition "Germany and the Soviet Union in the Second World War" shows the war from the perspective of both the German and Soviet protagonists. In addition to original artefacts, historical photos and written documents, people and their individual stories are presented.
The exhibition
During the Cold War, the Karlshorst district was a Soviet restricted area to varying degrees. An outdoor tour of the museum leads to the former sites and traces of Soviet military and secret service facilities in post-war Berlin.
The Seelow (Mark) History Station uses authentic exhibits and biographical details to document the transformation of the region over the course of a generation, offering a vivid insight into its eventful history.
The end of the Weimar Republic in 1933 marked the beginning of the National Socialist dictatorship. The National Socialists exerted increasing influence on public life. The persecution of dissidents, the suppression of political opponents
and the integration of young people into Nazi structures characterised the image of the region. Rearmament and forced labour in the region increased more and more from the mid-1930s. From 1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War, the image of the region changed dramatically. Accompanied by forced and concentration camp labour, regional production was reduced to products essential to the war effort.
military trains, deportation and prisoner-of-war transports crossed the country in both directions.
On the way to Berlin, the Red Army brought the war with full force to the Oder-Warthe region. The battle for the
Seelow Heights, one of the last major battles of the war, raged around Seelow and was a decisive moment on the road to liberation from National Socialist rule. The end of the Second World War marked further dramatic changes for the region as part of the new Soviet occupation zone. The westward shift of Poland to the Oder-Neisse border led to the expulsion and forced migration of millions of people, creating a new physical national border and a language barrier. Political and social structures had to be reorganised. The resulting loss of culture continues to have an impact to this day.
The reconstruction of the destroyed towns and villages and the implementation of the land reform, in which large estates were expropriated and distributed among the farmers, permanently changed the economic structure of the region. The founding of the German Democratic Republic in 1949 as a socialist state brought further changes. Agricultural
Production co-operatives (LPG) were founded, which shaped the structure of the rural economy. The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 was an important symbol of the division of Germany and Europe.
Even though political life in the GDR was determined by the socialist order, the historical traces remained
in the region - from the destruction of war to political repression. Today, the Oder-Warthe region is a place of remembrance, dialogue and change. As a multi-perspective landscape of remembrance, it brings the dramatic events of the century to life and tells of the difficult path from destruction, division, expulsion and reconstruction to a new beginning after the end of the Cold War.
The story of the museum as an audio contribution (Language: German)
The Battle of the Seelow Heights was one of the last and largest battles of the Second World War on German soil. It took place from 16 to 19 April 1945 and marked the beginning of the Soviet attack on the German capital.
By mid-April 1945, the Red Army on the Oder had completed its preparations for the general attack on Berlin.
The damp and wet lowlands of the Oderbruch and the Seelow Heights, which rose up to 70 metres behind it, were the last major natural barriers before Berlin. Supreme Commander Zhukov planned a massive attack to break through the German defences there. The German leadership hoped that a successful defence would split the anti-Hitler coalition. The Soviet side aimed to defeat the Wehrmacht once and for all and end the war. The battle began with a massive barrage of Soviet artillery. It was one of the most intense bombardments of the war, although some of it rained down on positions that had been evacuated according to plan. While the night was still foggy, the Soviet ground troops opened the main attack and crashed into the deeply echeloned German positional system. On the second day of fighting, the Red Army succeeded in breaking through the positions on the Seelow Heights on both sides of the Seelow base and, on the fourth day, the third and final defence strip.
On 20 April, their combat units reached the outskirts of Berlin. The Soviet operational plan significantly shortened the subsequent battle for Berlin: at the same time as the breakthrough at the Seelow Heights, Soviet troops advancing from the south-east overflew the enemy flooding back from the Oder line. This prevented them from retreating to the Berlin area and reorganising in an orderly fashion. The Wehrmacht surrendered on 8 May. The war in Europe came to an end. Unable to accept the hopelessness of continued fighting, the Battle of the Seelow Heights illustrates the willingness of the Nazi state to throw all tangible human reserves against a vastly superior enemy in order to survive. At the same time, this raises the question of what kept the combatants on both sides willing to fight. Even today, combat equipment and human remains are still being recovered on site.
For history buffs, the region thus offers a moving insight into the final days of the Second World War. In the memorial, visitors can experience a permanent exhibition with exhibits, maps and recorded eyewitness conversations that illustrate the dramatic course of the fighting. The open-air site, which is always accessible, includes tank and gun emplacements as well as a Soviet war cemetery with a representative memorial. Guided tours and information boards offer in-depth insights into the historical events and the significance of the site.
The history of the Battle of the Seelow Heights as an audio report (Language: German)
