The European Central Bank (ECB) is hosting a commemorative event on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, 27 January 2026, at its main building in Frankfurt’s Ostend. This year’s ceremony will feature addresses by ECB President Christine Lagarde, Deputy Mayor of the City of Frankfurt and Councillor for Culture and Science Ina Hartwig, Director of the Jewish Museum Frankfurt Mirjam Wenzel and Hessian State Commissioner for Jewish Life and the Fight Against Antisemitism Uwe Becker. The programme includes a discussion between President Lagarde and designer and philanthropist Diane von Fürstenberg, daughter of Holocaust survivors, reflecting on family history, intergenerational trauma and hope for the future. Diane von Fürstenberg will then be presented with a magnolia tree, a new breed named Lily Nahmias, in honour of her late mother who survived Auschwitz. It will become the first tree in the ECB’s Memorial Garden, with a new tree to be added every year.
“In remembering the Holocaust, we reaffirm our shared responsibility to stand against antisemitism and all forms of hatred. Memory is not only about the past – it is a call to protect human dignity today and for generations to come”, President Lagarde said. “With initiatives like the Memorial Garden, we create a living tribute that connects remembrance with renewal, ensuring that hope and responsibility take root for the future.”
Photos of the event can be found on the ECB multimedia hub.
For media queries, please contact Silke Köhler, tel.: +49 69 1344 8671.
Notes
- The ECB’s location at the Grossmarkthalle carries deep historical significance. From 1941 to 1945, the basement of its eastern wing was used as a gathering point for the deportation of over 10,000 Jewish people to concentration camps. Working with the Jewish Community Frankfurt and the City of Frankfurt am Main, the ECB has established a memorial engraved with testimonies from victims and observers, creating a story that symbolises the extent of the deportations without diverting attention from the actual site.
- Every year the ECB honours the memory of the Holocaust victims, including those deported from Frankfurt’s Grossmarkthalle, with a solemn ceremony at the memorial site.