Holocaust Memorials in Paris (F) and Mechelen (B) honoured with EuropeCulture Award 2023/24

The organisers have now been honoured for their chronological and thematic exhibition on queer people during Nazi regime in Europe.

The Kazerne Dossin, Mechelen, Belgium, in collaboration with the Mémorial de la Shoah (Holocaust Museum in Paris, France) were awarded the KulturForum Europa (KFE) KulturPreis Europa on 5 March 2024 for their chronological and thematic exhibition "HOMOSEXUALS and LESBIANS in NAZI EUROPE" about queer people in the Third Reich in Europe, particularly in Belgium, Germany, France and the Netherlands.

"By revealing the extent of Nazi persecution and the wealth of queer cultures that existed in the early 20th century, the exhibition takes up the challenge of saving this piece of history from oblivion. At the same time, the exhibition is based on a scientific approach in order to combat the untruths that continue to circulate," said KFE President Dieter Topp at the award ceremony for the exhibition's finissage at the Mechelen Memorial.

"The primary work of the Mémorial de la Shoah and the Kazerne Dossin is based on the historical representation of the persecution of Jews and the Holocaust. The theme of the KulturPreis Europa 2024 is the achievements of the prizewinners, with a particular focus on reflecting contemporary phenomena of racism and exclusion of communities, as well as discrimination based on origin, faith, ideology, skin colour, gender or sexual orientation," Topp (2nd from right) continued.



Sophie Nagiscarde for the Mémorial de la Shoah (2nd from left) and Tomas Baum (right), director of the Kazerne Dossin, accepted the Europe-wide award with thanks for the recognition of their work. The prize in the form of a MEISSEN® object was designed in 1930 from the first porcelain in Europe (1708) and is made exclusively for the KulturForum Europa - KulturPreis Europa. Florence Tamagne (l.) also received the Medal of Merit within the framework of the KulturPreis Europa as curator of the highly acclaimed exhibition. Belgium's Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was among the more than 21,000 visitors.

The KulturPreis Europa, which has been awarded for 30 years, has been presented to the writer Jeton Neziraj (Kosovo), Avraham Primor (Ambassador of the State of Israel in Germany), Hans Werner Henze (composer), Förderverein Interkultur e.V. MusicaMundi, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, former Federal Minister, EBU - European Broadcasting Union ( Eurovision, Switzerland), International Foundation For Culture and Arts (Istanbul, Turkey), D.Dr. h.c. Johannes Rau (President of the Federal Republic of Germany) in the capacity of Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Greek constitutional lawyer Prof. Dr Dimitris Tsatsos (MEP), Prof. Dr Helmut Zilk, Mayor of Vienna and Dr h.c. Annemarie Renger, former President of the German Bundestag. D. ... (Chris Rabe)