Victims of National Socialism: presentation of memorial project in Bern
Bern, 08.09.2026 — Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, head of the FDFA, and the mayor of Bern, Marieke Kruit, today presented the winning proposal for the creation of the place of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism in Bern. The winning design, entitled ‘unfolded minute’, which combines an artistic approach with an information element, will be installed on the terrace of the Casino by the end of 2027.
The selection of this project marks an important step in implementing the Federal Council’s decision of April 2023 to create a national memorial dedicated to the victims of National Socialism. Located near the Federal Palace, it will pay tribute to the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, as well as to all other victims of the Nazi regime, particularly those whose fate is linked to Switzerland. It also aims to raise public awareness of the consequences of persecution, exclusion and antisemitism, while encouraging reflection on their implications for our society today.
A visible and living memorial
“When the Federal Council decided to launch this project, its intention was clear: it was not simply a matter of creating a new work of art in Bern. It was about giving this remembrance a visible and lasting place at the heart of our federal capital. This site must live up to our dual responsibility: face up to our past and to draw lessons from it for the present,” said Mr Cassis at a press conference in Bern. Ms Kruit added, “By choosing the Casino terrace, the city of Bern is consciously providing a central and vibrant public space near the Federal Palace for this memorial to the victims of National Socialism. Remembrance should inspire us to respect the dignity of every human being and to combat exclusion.”
The winning design is the result of an international competition launched in July 2025. At the conclusion of the process, a jury comprising representatives of the Swiss Confederation, the city of Bern, the memorial’s initiators and independent experts selected ‘unfolded minute’ from among eleven proposals. The project involves a “sound wall” artwork along the promenade beneath the Casino terrace, information panels on Switzerland’s role during the Nazi era, and a website presenting people’s life stories and their historical context. On the terrace itself, a meeting point will provide a space for guided tours, exchanges with schools and other forms of outreach activities.
Artistic intervention and knowledge transfer
The jury, chaired by Madeleine Schuppli, an art historian and exhibition curator, praised the project, which convincingly combines artistic expression, the transmission of historical knowledge and integration into public space. The project as a whole aims to create a living place of remembrance, conducive to contemplation, dialogue and reflection. The team behind the winning project is led by historians Franziska Schürch and Isabel Koellreuter. It also includes artists Jannik Giger and Rahel Zaugg, as well as architects Andrea Steegmüller and Salomé Gutscher from the firm ASA+SAGA.
The eleven projects submitted demonstrate a variety of approaches and an in-depth reflection on the memorial’s objectives. They will be presented to the public at an exhibition taking place from 23 to 26 September 2026 at the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern. The jury’s report has also been published.
A national network of memorial sites
Once completed, the memorial will be run by an umbrella association bringing together several organisations active in the fields of remembrance and historical research. This association will ensure the site remains vibrant through outreach activities and partnerships with educational and cultural institutions.
The Bern memorial forms part of a national initiative aimed at strengthening the teaching of the history of National Socialism and its consequences in Switzerland. Alongside the future Diepoldsau Education Centre (in the canton of St Gallen), it will contribute to the development of a national network of memorial sites dedicated to this period in history, which is currently supported by the Federal Office of Culture.
FDFA brochure: Swiss Memorial to the Victims of Nazism: a place of remembrance in the city of Bern
Images from the ‘unfolded minute’ project
Swiss Memorial Network website
Addresses for enquiries
Information Service of the City of Bern
Tel.+41 31 321 76 99