“Never again!” – SV 98 memorial event

The memorial walk of the lilies started at 5.15pm at Schlossgartenplatz in Darmstadt, the founding site of SV 98. The 70 participants were welcomed by Peter Schmidt (elders‘ council SV Darmstadt 98) and Marc Balbaschewski (association history department SV Darmstadt 98), who then also attended a very expert and interesting way through the various stations to the destination Dr.-Karl-Hess-Platz at the Merck Stadium.

The path then continued through Ernst-Ludwig-Straße, Holzstraße, past the Art Nouveau swimming pool, over Hochstraße to the end point. Along its route, the memorial walk stopped at various stumbling blocks commemorating 98ers who were humiliated, persecuted or murdered during the Nazi era. During the almost two-hour walk, the participants learned a lot about some of the Jewish club members of SV 98, who for a long time received no attention in the club’s chronicles. An overview of previously known Jewish club members, including a short profile, is available here.

During the memorial walk, Schmidt (born 1938) impressively described the developments within Darmstadt during the Nazi era and explained with regard to the expelled and excluded members: „Despite the exclusion, they always remained interested in the club and kept SV 98 in their hearts. “

Balbaschewski, who has been dealing with the history of the Lilies for years and in particular the chapter during National Socialism, explained with regard to SV 98: „Unfortunately, the club introduced the Aryan paragraph very quickly, so that it was only nine months after Adolf Hitler came to power, that there were no Jewish club members at SV 98.“

It is therefore all the more important to deal with this part of the club’s history, combined with commemorative events such as the one that took place on this Monday evening.

Schmidt chose a very memorable sentence when he said during the walk and with a view to the past and the lessons of history: „In every action you should always resolve: Be a human being!“

When they arrived at the Dr.-Karl-Heß-Platz in front of the Merck Stadium at the Böllenfalltor, Schmidt and Balbaschewski as well as Mayor Hanno Benz and Alexander Stoler (cultural advisor for the Jewish Community of Darmstadt) spoke to the now around 170 people present.

During his speech, Schmidt was “incredibly happy and grateful” that his club was holding such an event this evening and on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. Mayor Benz also chose similar words in his speech: „I think it’s great that the SV 98 is part of the commemoration of the city of Darmstadt with a variety of events. It is important that we make the commemoration concrete. There is a number behind every name. Each of these people had dreams and goals that were destroyed by the National Socialists. That’s why it’s so important that the SV 98 also remembers its Jewish members. And it’s about using this memory to say: never again!“

Stoler appealed to everyone: „Let’s take a stand together. Let’s draw clear boundaries against any form of hate. Let’s also use football to unite. And not to divide. And let’s get this message out together. “

Following the speeches, both SV 98 and the fan scene laid a wreath at the memorial stone on Dr.-Karl-Heß-Platz in a sign of remembrance.