Trains to Life – Trains to Death, Memorial sculpture near Friedrichstraße station in Berlin, Germany
Trains to Life - Trains to Death is a bronze and granite memorial near Friedrichstraße station that displays seven child figures in different orientations. Five darker bronze figures face east while two lighter figures face west, visually expressing separation and opposing journeys.
The memorial marks the departure point of the first Kindertransport on November 30, 1938, which rescued 196 Jewish children to safety in England. This journey started a rescue effort that saved thousands of children from persecution over the following years.
The sculpture represents two contrasting fates of Jewish children during Nazi occupation: some were rescued through organized transports to safety, while others perished in camps. The bronze figures silently embody these opposite journeys without words.
The memorial stands at the entrance of Friedrichstraße station at the corner of Georgenstraße, making it easy to access from the street. You can view it anytime since it is displayed in public space next to the station without any restricted access.
The artist Frank Meisler, who created this memorial in 2008, was himself one of the children rescued through Kindertransport from Berlin to England in 1939. His personal experience directly shaped the work, making it a testament created by someone who lived this history.
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