Liberation Ceremony KZ Gedenkstätte Dachau
Central commemoration ceremony on the anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp
2026
About Liberation Ceremony Dachau
Liberation Ceremony Dachau — edition 2026
On Sunday, May 3, 2026, the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site will commemorate the 81st anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camp. The day begins at 9:15 AM with the ecumenical service in the Carmel Heilig Blut, followed by a Russian Orthodox liturgy (9:30 AM) and the Jewish memorial hour at the Jewish Memorial (9:45 AM). At 10:45 AM, there will be a commemoration at the former crematorium, and at 11:30 AM, the central ceremony on the former roll-call area with a subsequent wreath-laying at the International Memorial. The day concludes with the Encounter Day in the Max Mannheimer House.
Highlights Liberation Ceremony Dachau 2026
- 81st anniversary of the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp
- Ecumenical service and Russian Orthodox liturgy
- Jewish memorial hour at the memorial
- Central ceremony on the former roll-call area
- Wreath-laying at the International Memorial
Programme Liberation Ceremony Dachau 2026
9:15 AM: Ecumenical service in the Carmel Heilig Blut.
9:30 AM: Russian Orthodox liturgy in the Resurrection Chapel.
9:45 AM: Memorial hour at the Jewish Memorial.
10:45 AM: Commemoration at the former crematorium.
11:30 AM: Central ceremony on the former roll-call area, wreath-laying at the International Memorial.
Following: Encounter Day in the Max Mannheimer House.
Prices Liberation Ceremony Dachau 2026
Participation in the commemoration ceremony is free of charge and open to the public. Access is via the visitor center or the Carmel; security checks are required.
Practical information — Liberation Ceremony Dachau
Getting There
The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site can be reached via the S-Bahn (S2 to Dachau station, then bus 726) and by car (Pater-Roth-Straße 2a). Access to the ceremony is via the visitor center or the Carmel; security checks are required.
Admission
Participation in the commemoration ceremony is free of charge and open to the public.
Note
This is a solemn commemoration event; appropriate behavior and sufficient time for security checks are requested.
A Day of Remembrance and Warning
The Liberation Ceremony at the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is one of Germany's most significant commemorative events. It commemorates the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp by US troops at the end of April 1945. The Dachau concentration camp was the first permanent concentration camp of the National Socialist regime and served as a model for the entire camp system. In 2026, the liberation will be commemorated for the 81st time.
Schedule of the Commemoration Ceremony
The ceremony is characterized by a sequence of interreligious and state memorial moments:
- Ecumenical service in the Carmel Heilig Blut
- Russian Orthodox liturgy in the Russian Orthodox Resurrection Chapel
- Commemoration hour of the State Association of Israelite Communities at the Jewish Memorial
- Commemoration at the former crematorium
- Central ceremony on the former roll-call area with subsequent wreath-laying at the International Memorial
- Encounter Day in the Max Mannheimer House
Organizers and Significance
The Liberation Ceremony is supported by the Comité International de Dachau (CID), the international association of survivors and their relatives, together with the Bavarian Memorials Foundation and the management of the Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site. The participation of survivors, their families, and international delegations lends the ceremony a special, cautionary dignity.
Regional Context
The Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site is located in the town of Dachau, in the district of the same name in the state of Bavaria, about 20 kilometers northwest of Munich. It is a central place of remembrance culture and historical-political education. The annual Liberation Ceremony keeps the warning "Never again" alive.
Where it takes place Liberation Ceremony Dachau
Liberation Ceremony Dachau at a glance
History of Liberation Ceremony Dachau
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .