The plaza in front of the Berlin state House of Representatives was renamed after Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander on Thursday, according to the parliament and Berlin Senate Chancellery, two days before the first anniversary of her death.

In a ceremony in the parliament’s plenary hall with Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, House of Representatives President Cornelia Seibeld, Mitte district head Stefanie Remlinger, and Margot Friedländer Foundation board chairman Prof. Dr. Karsten Dreinhöfer unveiled the plaza’s new name.

Wegner said in a press statement that renaming the front plaza after the Berlin-born Friedlander would ensure that the woman who returned to the city in her golden years would have her legacy remain permanently visible. The square would also serve as a confession of and a reminder against antisemitism, he said.

“We honor an extraordinary woman in one of the most visible places in our democracy. This square keeps the memory of our honorary citizen Margot Friedlander alive – and it is a clear commitment against antisemitism and all forms of misanthropy,” said Wegner. “Margot Friedlander Square stands for human dignity, for Jewish life in our city, and for the values that are essential to our democracy: freedom, respect, and tolerance.”

Germany to name plaza after Holocaust survivor Margot Friedlander

The House of Representatives was the site of the last public appearance of Friedlander, Seibeld noted.

“Naming the square in front of the House of Representatives after Margot Friedlander is a lasting reminder – her legacy is thus visible every day,” said Seibeld.

Dreinhöfer said that Friedlander, whose motto was “be human,” worked to ensure that the crimes against the Jewish people would be remembered and to protect freedom and democracy.

“Like few others, she embodies the values of humanity, respect, and responsibility. Her name in this place is a lasting symbol: that exclusion and annihilation must have no place anymore, neither in Berlin nor in our society. Where the interests of all Berliners are represented, her name serves as a reminder that we are part of a shared human family,” said Dreinhöfer.

“As a foundation, we hope that Margot Friedlander Square will be far more than just a name: it should be a promise – for humanity at the heart of our democracy.”

The European Jewish Congress welcomed the renaming of the plaza, noting that after Friedlander returned to the German capital at the age of 88, she became one of the country’s most prominent survivor voices until her passing at the age of 103.

The eponymous foundation also announced on Wednesday, in honor of its founder’s passing, that it was launching a fundraising campaign to establish the Margot Friedlander Academy, which would offer educational programs for youth, schools, and teachers. The programs would ostensibly teach others how to understand the consequences of antisemitism, racism, and ostracization.

“With the founding of the academy, we are creating a permanent structure for our educational work and ensuring that Margot Friedlander’s messages and legacy are passed on to future generations,” Dreinhöfer said on Wednesday. “It is important to us to empower young people so that they can actively engage in the fight against antisemitism and exclusion.”

Friedlander was born in Berlin in 1921 and was deported to Theresienstadt, the only person in her family to survive. After liberation, she moved to the United States with her husband, whom she met at the concentration camp. After her husband’s death, Friedlander began to write about her experience, which eventually led to a documentary about her.