On 19 February 2026, we welcomed SPD politician Serpil Midyatli to the political service at St Peter’s Church in Ladelund. Before the service began, Ms Midyatli, accompanied by the memorial site director Dr Katja Happe, Provost Mathias Lenz and several representatives of the parish, visited the Concentration Camp Memorial and Meeting Place and was given an informative guided tour.

During the service, the politician gave a speech on the church’s motto for this year, “God says: Behold, I make all things new”, and spoke about the current social climate and the importance of democracy, integrity and responsibility in everyday life. She emphasised how vital the parish’s commitment is to ensuring that the memorial serves not only as a place of remembrance but also as a place of encounter. Remembrance is not merely a look back at the past, but should inspire us to protect democracy and stand up against racism, hate speech and exclusion.

During the subsequent question-and-answer session, the approximately 10 confirmands present asked the speaker a great many questions.