Looking back. Looking ahead. 2020-2025

POLITICS AND SOCIETY | SPEECHES   171 Dear Charly, When the Free State of Bavaria established the Bavarian Memorial Foundation in 2003, an umbrella organisation was created for the Dachau Memorial, the Flossenbürg Memorial,   the subcamps such as Hersbruck and Mühldorf, and the 75 concentration camp cemeteries and gravesites across   Bavaria. These sites are administered by the Foundation, but its work extends far beyond administration. All those who work within the Foundation devote themselves to remem- brance – every single day. They are the ones who lead guided tours and care tirelessly for these memorial sites. And for most of this time, dear Charly, you have been at the helm as the Foundation’s director – 16 years in total. The Foundation is closely linked to your name and to the dedication that once again came across so clearly in your speech today.We can see and hear that you are deeply connected to this field and that it shapes and drives you every day. 16 years is a long tenure in a parliamentary democracy – few offices are held for so long. All the more reason for me to thank you for your service – and for the clarity and care of your words. I would like to extend my gratitude for everything you have done over the past 16 years – and I wish you all the best for the years ahead. You are not alone in your valuable work: The Foundation has 180 employees. That is a remarkable number. Ms Hammer- mann, Mr Skriebeleit and many others are here today. Looking around, it almost feels like a family gathering. A large family dedicated to remembrance work and committed to   preserving this legacy. I would like to thank everyone who contributes, whether in a full-time or voluntary capacity. Your work is not always easy – especially when you are constantly reminded of the suffering that happened here. But it is essen- tial. And it is particularly important today. Because we are currently witnessing a new rise in antisemi­ tism in ways I could hardly have imagined just a few years ago: Unspeakable words are being spoken again; many feel emboldened to spread hate openly on social media, using their real names; and such words are sadly leading to hundreds of acts – acts that we can and do prosecute consistently in the Free State of Bavaria. This makes it all the more important that we are gathered here today and stand together, that we have adopted a clear strategy in the Free State of Bavaria, and that we collectively bear witness to the unequivocal message: “Never again!”. And that means “Not now, not ever!”.We stand united against antisemitism. Thank you to all of you. Of course, this commitment also means taking action. The process of remembrance requires funding and places great   demands on the Foundation: the quarry in Flossenbürg, the herb garden in Dachau and the remnants of the subcamps.   We have ambitious plans! Our aim is to make the next ten years – and beyond – a decade of remembrance. There is much to be done. At the moment, 90% of the funds available to the Founda- tion are provided by the Free State of Bavaria. But the Federal Government has also been strongly committed for many years. Thank you, Honourable Federal Minister! Thank you for your words and for your long-standing cooperation within the Foundation. I am delighted to see you here today. It may seem obvious to attend such an important event, but it is also a sign that we stand together, that we share responsibility, that we advocate for remembrance work before our finance ministers and cabinet and that together we will succeed in securing the resources and ideas needed to preserve and renew these memorial sites.We will also take on the renewal of the exhibi- tion together. I am very grateful that we are sending this joint message today. My thanks to the Federal Government and the Free State of Bavaria. As mentioned by many of my fellow speakers, we are living in   a time when remembrance is vital, and when it is equally   important to send a clear message. That is why it is essential that we involve our schoolchildren. They are the future of our society – its bearers of hope. I can only speak for myself when   I say that it troubles me to hear them referred to as a   “lost generation” – especially in discussions surrounding the pandemic. I often hear people ask:“What can they do these days?”… “What do they know these days?”… “Where are all the gaps?”… My own experience of our schools is entirely different. I see incredibly committed teachers. I see pupils who are creative and inquisitive, who immerse themselves in topics, who engage deeply with historical subjects in project seminars, and who research and examine history. They are also able to clearly articulate where today’s challenges lie. And many show a genuine interest in what happened and a strong willingness to defend our democracy. That is why it is so important that contemporary witnesses – and all of us – continue to remind future generations of the terrible legacy born out of our dark past. And that we make it