Langemark memorial place: A new name for peace and reconciliation!

Langemark memorial place: A new name for peace and reconciliation!

The long marker in Koblenz recently went through an important change of name. In autumn 2022, the city council dealt with the renaming of the square in order to establish a more respectful connection to the historical events and its commemoration. The result is the acceptance of the Belgian letter "Langemark" with a simple "K", which now officially adorns the square. This happened in recognition of the historical importance of the Belgian community of Langemark-Poelkapelle.

Langemark-Poelkapelle is not only a municipality in the Ypryer Arrondissement in the Province of West Flanders, but also the scene of one of the most lost battles in the First World War. This place is now appreciated as a central memorial for the dead of both world wars. The municipality itself was built in 1977 and comprises five districts: Langemark, Poelkapelle, bikes, Madonna and Sint-Juliaan, and currently has around 7,926 inhabitants.

The reference to the wars

The First World War left deep traces in Langemark-Poelkapelle. The myth of Langemarck, which was created during the first Flanders battle, is particularly well known. Tragic events such as the emerging fights and the first poison gas attack on April 22, 1915 led to this place a symbol of the cruelty and the suffering of many soldiers. In this attack, the German troops used 150 tons of Chlorgas and conquered significant terrain within a short time. The losses were dramatic and demanded several thousand lives. [Wikipedia reports that ...]

The examination of the contaminated past is progressing. In Koblenz, the local authorities contacted German communities in Langemark-Poelkapelle, in which streets or places were named after Langemark during the National Socialism period to check and change these names if necessary. The problems resulting from this historical name are still being discussed, even if a direct examination of the past is often no longer possible.

memorial and education

In the immediate valid with the long marker there is a stele made of corten steel, which was set up nearby. This stele contains a short version of change in meaning and is flanked by QR codes, which refer to websites of the city of Koblenz, the city of Langemark-Poelkapelle and the "in Fields Fields Museum". These modern sources of information aim to educate visitors about the historical background and to illustrate the importance of the place.

Culture department Schneider emphasized that the long market place stands for peace and European understanding today. This commitment to the dialogue and the common memory of the victims of both world wars is underlined by the active participation of city representatives, such as Michael Heisser from the Office for City Measurement and Soil Management, which took part in a memorial event in Belgium.

The decision to renamed and create a living memory in Koblenz show how important it is to deal with your own history and not to forget the teachings from the past. The long market is now a place where peace and reconciliation are actively promoted.