Ruhrkämpferehrenmal, Memorial monument in Horst district, Germany
The Ruhrkämpferehrenmal consists of 24 rectangular pillars made of Ruhr sandstone arranged in a circle, each rising to 3 meters high. The entire arrangement spans about 20 meters across and creates a striking stone composition within the Ruhr Valley landscape.
The memorial was built in 1934 under Nazi rule to honor fighters from 1918 to 1920 who fought against revolutionary workers. After World War II, the site was fundamentally transformed into a warning memorial against violence and war.
The name refers to fighters from the post-war period, and the site was later redesignated as a warning against war. Visitors can reflect here on how monuments change meaning over time and how societies reinterpret their past.
The site sits near the border between Essen and Bochum-Dahlhausen, close to a railway museum. It is easily accessible on foot and reachable by public transport from the city center.
The circular arrangement of pillars surprisingly resembles the prehistoric structure of Stonehenge, representing a rare modern example of this ancient architectural form. Bronze name plaques were later moved to the Essen City Archives for preservation and protection.
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