Ehrenmal der Luftwaffe, Military memorial in Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
Ehrenmal der Luftwaffe is a memorial of light grey, textured concrete blocks in Fürstenfeldbruck. Two tall rectangular pillars stand left and right, joined by a lower wall. In front sits a trapezoidal block inscribed "DEN SOLDATEN UNVERGESSEN" in raised dark letters, with a circular dark metal wreath set into the stone below.
A foundation created in Hanover on 24 June 1957 collected donations from air force members and private individuals and held a competition. In 1960 a design by architect Ernst Zinsser with sculptor Kurt Lehmann was chosen, and Fürstenfeldbruck was picked as the site. The foundation stone was laid on 24 September 1961 during a large aviation day, and the memorial was inaugurated on 18 November 1962, Volkstrauertag, by Inspector Werner Panitzki.
The memorial's gate carries the inscription "DEN TOTEN DER LUFTWAFFE UND DER LUFTFAHRT", and in 1977 the motto "IHR SEID UNVERGESSEN" was added. The annual wreath-laying takes place on the eve of Volkstrauertag, with the honour guard formed by young soldiers of the Air Force Officer School.
The memorial stands near the former Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base, which closed in 2011; the town agreed to maintain the site permanently as a historical monument. Care of the memorial is the responsibility of the Bundeswehr Service Centre. The site is listed as a Bavarian monument, so it remains accessible as a preserved historical site rather than an active military ground.
The 5 × 5 metre memorial stone at the centre, bearing a recumbent Iron Cross, was finished in 1963, a year after the inauguration. The gate to the grounds carries the inscription "DEN TOTEN DER LUFTWAFFE UND DER LUFTFAHRT".
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