Weimar (dpa/th) - In Weimar, seven trees have been symbolically planted in memory of the victims of the Nazi concentration camp in Buchenwald and the so-called "death marches". The trees are part of the "1000 beeches" project and were originally intended to replace several memorial trees that were destroyed in the summer, as a spokesman for the Weimar-Apolda welfare organization said on Wednesday in Weimar. "It now appears that almost all of the vandalized trees have been saved," said the spokesman. Therefore, the now planted trees serve as a supplement.
The "1000 beeches" project is an inclusive memorial project. "It's also about people with and without disabilities coming together and planting trees," said the spokesman. In the meantime, not only beech, but also other tree species such as ash or cherries are planted. Plaques convey the reference to the commemoration.
Some of the trees are dedicated to certain concentration camp prisoners or, for example, to children murdered in Buchenwald.
In the summer, seven such memorial trees were massively damaged by previously unknown perpetrators. The spot where the damaged trees were found is part of a route of the "death marches" of concentration camp prisoners. The term stands for the evacuation of the camp, which the Nazis began shortly before its liberation in early April 1945. Thousands of prisoners were herded towards other camps such as Flossenbürg and Dachau, many did not survive.
