[memorial] Victim of National Socialism. He was born in Leiden, Netherlands and joined the youth organization of the Communist Party of Holland in 1925. He worked as a bricklayer until 1926 when he had an accident at work which caused permanent damage to his sight and left him unemployed. In the following years, he repeatedly came in conflict with the law and spent some time in prisons. In the night of February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building burned down. Van der Lubbe, who was known as a communist, was found behind the building and was arrested. Hitler and Göring immediately declared that the fire was set by the communists and had several leaders of the communist party arrested. In the following days, many of known communist like Walter Ulbricht, Wilhelm Pieck, and Berthold Brecht fled from Germany. The Nazi's accused the communists and the communists accused the Nazi's of setting the fire. During the trial in the Leipziger Reichsgericht van der Lubbe stayed so quiet it was speculated that he was under the influence of drugs. Several communist leaders, like Georgi Dimitrov who were accused as accomplices, were found not guilty. For many years it was assumed, that the fire was set by the Nazi's themselves, but later evidence showed that van der Lubbe may have indeed been guilty. He was sentenced to death and beheaded in the courtyard of the prison opposite the Reichsgericht. The memorial was erected on Jan. 13, 1999 close to his actual (but unmarked) grave. On the top are three dates, (his day of birth, the day of the Reichstag fire, and the day of his death). On the left side, lines from the poem "Schönheit, Schönheit" are engraved which van der Lubbe wrote in prison.
[memorial] Victim of National Socialism. He was born in Leiden, Netherlands and joined the youth organization of the Communist Party of Holland in 1925. He worked as a bricklayer until 1926 when he had an accident at work which caused permanent damage to his sight and left him unemployed. In the following years, he repeatedly came in conflict with the law and spent some time in prisons. In the night of February 27, 1933, the Reichstag building burned down. Van der Lubbe, who was known as a communist, was found behind the building and was arrested. Hitler and Göring immediately declared that the fire was set by the communists and had several leaders of the communist party arrested. In the following days, many of known communist like Walter Ulbricht, Wilhelm Pieck, and Berthold Brecht fled from Germany. The Nazi's accused the communists and the communists accused the Nazi's of setting the fire. During the trial in the Leipziger Reichsgericht van der Lubbe stayed so quiet it was speculated that he was under the influence of drugs. Several communist leaders, like Georgi Dimitrov who were accused as accomplices, were found not guilty. For many years it was assumed, that the fire was set by the Nazi's themselves, but later evidence showed that van der Lubbe may have indeed been guilty. He was sentenced to death and beheaded in the courtyard of the prison opposite the Reichsgericht. The memorial was erected on Jan. 13, 1999 close to his actual (but unmarked) grave. On the top are three dates, (his day of birth, the day of the Reichstag fire, and the day of his death). On the left side, lines from the poem "Schönheit, Schönheit" are engraved which van der Lubbe wrote in prison.
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