Mayor Aboutaleb of Rotterdam unveiled the artistic idea of the on November 10, 2021 Razzia Memorial Rotterdam. That happened during the annual commemoration in the Feyenoord Stadium. Visual artist Anne Wenzel designed the monument, for which a place has been reserved in a park at the beginning of the Parkkade opposite the 'Van Ommerenhaventje'. The embedding of the design is still under development in consultation with the municipality of Rotterdam. The monument is planned to be unveiled during the 2023 commemoration.
The citizens' initiative Razziamonument Rotterdam is committed to realizing a monument for all victims of the raid in November 1944 in Rotterdam and Schiedam. It will be a place to come together, reflect and commemorate.
On November 10 and 11, 1944, the Nazis, meticulously prepared and unexpectedly, deported 52.000 boys and men between the ages of 17 and 40 during a major raid. Most of them are taken to Germany as forced laborers. For months they have to leave their loved ones in fear and uncertainty. Due to exhaustion, illness, poor care, accidents, bombings and attempts to flee, more than 500 men do not survive the horrors.
Many who return are scarred for life. Their stories are hardly heard. They have to suppress traumatic experiences, there was no time for that during the reconstruction. The drama threatened to become a forgotten history. The Razzia Monument Rotterdam Foundation under the guidance of BKOR, ultimately chose the design by the Rotterdam artist Anne Wenzel from a long list. In the coming period, the foundation will continue fundraising for the realization of the monument from companies, (cultural) institutions and private individuals.
Read it here Essay by art historian Flos Wildschut about the design.
View it here article and interview with Anne Wenzel by RTV Rijnmond.