Deserteurdenkmal

Deserteurdenkmal is a memorial for military refusers in Hamburg's Neustadt district. The structure features a triangular form with bronze lattices bearing inscriptions and a concrete wall facing Dammtordamm street.

The memorial honors 227 Wehrmacht soldiers executed in Hamburg during World War II for refusing to serve in the military. These victims represent part of the internal resistance against the Nazi regime.

The name references soldiers who resisted military service and paid with their lives for that choice. Visitors can select individual name blocks and connect with the real people whose stories are tied to this place.

The memorial is within walking distance of Stephansplatz station and sits near other war remembrance sites. Access is free and the interactive name blocks are reachable from the outside.

The bronze lattices carry verses from Helmut Heissenbüttel's poem Deutschland 44, one of the few artworks directly addressing the reality of military desertion. This poetic element gives the site an unexpected cultural depth beyond a simple name listing.