Events

On Sunday, 3 May 2026, at 10:00, the Ravensbrück Memorial Museum and the International Ravensbrück Committee invite you to the Central Commemoration Ceremony marking the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Ravensbrück women’s concentration camp.

At the heart of the ceremony is the remembrance of the more than 140,000 women, men and children from over 40 countries who were imprisoned in Ravensbrück and its subcamps, as well as the many thousands who were murdered by the Nazis. The ceremony will take place in the historic garage courtyard of the Ravensbrück Memorial Museum.

Programme

Musical accompaniment: Sunny Franz

Welcome

• Dr Andrea Genest
  Director, Ravensbrück Memorial Museum
• Ambra Laurenzi
  President, International Ravensbrück Committee

Welcome Adress

• Dr Manja Schüle
  Minister for Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg

Speeches

• Romeo Franz
  Managing Director of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma and descendant of a former Ravensbrück prisoner
• Dr Janina Iwańska
  Survivor of the concentration camp, imprisoned as a political prisoner after the Warsaw Uprising

Religious commemoration

• “Ravensbrück Prayer”
  recited by Hanna Nowakowska (Klub Byłych Więźniarek KL Ravensbrück)
• „El male rachamim“ and Kaddish
  Cantor Gabriel Loewenheim

Wreath-laying ceremony
at the “Wall of Nations” and the memorial “The Burdened Woman”,
accompanied by cellist Petra Kießling 

Information for participants

The event will be simultaneously interpreted into German, English, Polish and French, with the kind support of ECHOO Konferenzdolmetschen.

Please note: Participation is only possible with prior registration. The registration deadline is 26 April 2026.
Registration is available via the following form: register here.

We kindly ask you to arrive approximately 15 minutes before the start of the event for organisational reasons.

All programme items at a glance can be found here: Programme brochure 81st anniversary (EN)

Information for members of the media

Please register for the main commemorative event on 3 May by sending an informal email to presse@stiftung-bg.de, stating your name and the name of your media outlet, and attaching a copy of your press card. On-site accreditation and the distribution of press badges and press materials will take place on 3 May from 8.45 am to 9.30 am at the Visitor Information Centre (BIZ).

Venue

Historic Garage Courtyard
Ravensbrück Memorial Museum
Straße der Nationen
16798 Fürstenberg/Havel