Berlin's Controversial Herero Stone Still Stands Despite 2025 Removal Order
A memorial stone in Berlin has stood for over 118 years, honouring German soldiers linked to a brutal genocide. Known as the Herero Stone, it was erected in 1907 to commemorate seven men who died during colonial campaigns in Namibia. For decades, the monument has sparked outrage, with critics demanding its removal or radical change.
Now, after years of debate, the stone remains in place—despite a 2025 resolution ordering its transfer to a museum. The delay has reignited tensions, as activists and local politicians clash over how to address Germany's colonial legacy.
The stone was originally placed in Berlin's Neukölln district to glorify members of the Schutztruppe, the German colonial force. Its inscription praises them as 'heroes' who 'voluntarily took part' in the 1904–1907 war against the Herero and Nama peoples. Historians estimate that 50 to 80 percent of these groups were killed in what is now recognised as the 20th century's first genocide.
In 2009, authorities added a second plaque beside the stone to acknowledge the victims of German colonial rule. But the Initiative of Black People in Germany (ISD) and Herero representatives rejected this as insufficient. Tahir Della of the ISD later declared that victims and perpetrators could never share the same memorial, calling the current situation 'unacceptable'.
By 2023, the Neukölln Museum proposed flipping the stone and adding explanatory text. This plan was also dismissed by the ISD and affected communities. Meanwhile, photos of people posing with Imperial flags beside the monument have circulated online, further fuelling criticism.
In early 2025, the local district assembly (BVV) passed a resolution to remove the stone and relocate it to a museum. Over a year later, however, the decision remains unenforced. The issue returned to the BVV agenda this spring after no progress was made. District councillor Karsten Schulze (CDU) had pushed for an alternative—keeping the stone in place but with added context—but his proposal was excluded from the final motion.
The debate has intensified since Germany officially recognised the Herero and Nama genocide in 2021. While broader discussions on reparations and colonial memory continue, the stone's fate remains unresolved, leaving a visible symbol of unaddressed history in the heart of Berlin.
The Herero Stone still stands, despite repeated calls for its removal or recontextualisation. The 2025 resolution to move it to a museum has yet to be acted upon, prolonging a dispute that stretches back over a decade. Without enforcement, the monument continues to honour perpetrators of genocide—while victims remain without proper commemoration in the same space.
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