Events

The demands of Salo Muller and the responsibility of Deutsche Bahn

With film excerpts and discussion

On the panel:

Joris Postema – Director (Netherlands)

Activists from AK-Distomo

Martin Klingner – Salo Muller’s lawyer

27 January 2026

6:00 pm Wreath-laying ceremony, Harald-Stender-Platz

6:30 pm Film excerpts and discussion, Millerntor Stadium, Ballroom (Main Stand)

Event commemorating the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism 2026 at the Millerntor Stadium, St. Pauli

Wreath-laying ceremony, film excerpts, conversation and discussion

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

The Distomo Working Group, together with Fanladen St. Pauli and the Fanräume at the Millerntor, is organizing an event to mark the Day of Remembrance for the Victims of National Socialism. At 6:00 pm, the wreath-laying ceremony organized by Fanladen St. Pauli and the Fanräume will take place at the memorial plaque for FC St. Pauli members persecuted under National Socialism at Harald-Stender-Platz.

Following the wreath-laying ceremony, AK Distomo, in cooperation with Fanladen St. Pauli and the Fanräume, will organize the substantive part of the event at the Millerntor Stadium.

18:00 Uhr – (Harald-Stender-Platz)
Wreath-laying ceremony

18:30 Uhr – Ballsaal (Millerntorstadion)
Film excerpts, conversation and discussion

Background

Salo Muller, born in 1936 in Amsterdam, survived the Holocaust as a child, hidden by the Dutch resistance. His parents were deported from the Netherlands on trains operated by the German Reichsbahn and murdered in Auschwitz, as were 70 other relatives. In total, 107,000 Dutch Jews as well as Roma and Sinti were deported to the extermination camps under the rule of Nazi Germany. Without the logistics of the German Reichsbahn, the Holocaust would not have been possible. The victims themselves had to pay the costs of their deportation. For the journeys through the territory of the German Reich, the Reichsbahn received, according to estimates by historians, the equivalent of around 445 million euros. Read more →

These crimes continue to haunt Salo Muller to this day. The injustice done to his parents and the many others who were murdered has never been atoned for. Therefore, he demands financial compensation and a sincere apology from Deutsche Bahn AG for the Dutch survivors of the deportations as well as for the relatives of those who were murdered. As the legal successor to the German Reichsbahn, Deutsche Bahn AG must face its historical, legal, and moral responsibility.

In 2019, the Nederlandse Spoorwegen declared their willingness to make compensation payments to survivors and bereaved families. This concession goes back to Salo Muller’s initiative and shows that late and symbolic justice is possible when there is a willingness to assume responsibility.

This willingness has so far been lacking on the part of Deutsche Bahn AG. It has taken over the assets of the Reichsbahn and therefore cannot deny that it must also assume responsibility for its liabilities. No legal provision prevents it from paying compensation. The financial means are available. This is not only about money, but about acknowledging guilt and responsibility.

At the same time, Deutsche Bahn AG regularly makes donations to Holocaust memorial sites, for example to Yad Vashem. These donations demonstrate an awareness of the crimes of the Reichsbahn, but they miss the goal of justice as long as the concrete victims are not compensated. For those affected, such gestures feel like a slap in the face.

The few Holocaust survivors still alive today are over 80 years old. They cannot wait any longer. Every week, more survivors die.

Film excerpts, conversation and discussion

Start: 6:30 pm
Venue: Ballroom, Millerntor Stadium (Main Stand)

The film excerpts focus on Muller’s fight for compensation, his love of football, his commitment against antisemitism, the threats following 7 October 2023, and Jewish life today.

This will be followed by a panel discussion with:

Joris Postema, director (Netherlands)
Activists from AK Distomo
Martin Klingner, Salo Muller’s lawyer

The discussion will focus on the legal aspects of the compensation issue, the course of the disputes to date, and the significance of the topic for contemporary remembrance culture. It will address how Salo Muller succeeded in obtaining compensation from the Dutch state railways, why comparable demands directed at Deutsche Bahn have so far been rejected, and the resistance faced by Salo Muller and the supporting initiative in this process. Filmmaker Joris Postema will also speak about his encounters with Salo Muller, the making of the film, and its public reception.

Martin Klingner will report on his support for Salo Muller and place the issue within its political and legal context. This will be followed by time for questions from the audience, a joint discussion on how Salo Muller can continue to be supported, and a small collective action.

Accessibility

The events are accessible.

Information on participation

The event is free of charge and is aimed at the FC St. Pauli fan scene and the interested public. (First come, first served.)