A village shows attitude

Lecture series on civil courage “Resistance and Solidarity”.

With films, discussion evenings, and lectures addressing forms of resistance against injustice and acts of solidarity, the initiative “Eyes Open Against Antisemitism and Other Forms of Group-Based Hostility” of the Local Alliance for Family e.V. aims to inspire courage for the questions of our time.

Solidarity instead of silence.

The lecture highlights the solidarity of many residents of Greimerath with their Jewish fellow citizens. René Herrmann, who grew up there, shares in interviews the good relationship his family had with the village population. Even after 1933, daily life remained friendly at first; René remembered a carefree school time without distinctions between Jewish and non-Jewish children. It was only late that the family recognized the danger. Until the Reich Pogrom Night in 1938, there were no open attacks.

During the pogrom, the Greimerath SA refused to participate, but SA men from neighboring towns attacked the family. Father, uncle, and brother Bernhard were arrested, the house was looted and later sold under duress. In 1941, the family was deported to Riga, and later transferred to Stutthof. Only the mother, René, Kurt, and Bernhard survived.

In 2009, Stolpersteine were laid for the family, and in 2018 René and Kurt were awarded honorary citizenship of Greimerath.

Admission is free!