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Memorial

The memorial in Weierhohl was erected in 1963 on behalf of the town of Olpe after earlier plans, which had envisaged a monumental memorial to heroes on Gallenberg around 1939/40, were not pursued after World War II.
The well-known artist Ewald Mataré designed the new memorial. Mataré, who was born in 1887 in what is now the city of Aachen and died in 1965, is considered one of the most important German sculptors of the post-war period. He deliberately did not design it to be a war memorial or a cenotaph in the conventional sense. Instead, he created a simple and open memorial whose intention is expressed by the words, “Gefallen, Erniedrigt, Gehetzt, Wachet für Freiheit und Recht” (fallen, humiliated, hounded, keep watch for freedom and justice) on a plaque embedded in the ground. In doing so, he intentionally extended the memorial to all victims of war, violence, flight and displacement.
The monumental mosaic cross at the end of the ascent, set against a rough stone wall in front of the former town wall, is conspicuous by its size and colouring and bestows the site with its own dignity.
This is where an annual commemoration service by the Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge (German War Graves Commission) takes place on Volkstrauertag (Remembrance Day). In addition, every year on 28 March, the mayor and deputy mayors commemorate the victims of the 1945 bombing raid on Olpe. St.-Sebastianus-Schützenverein Olpe (gun club) also commemorates the victims of the wars at this site on the Monday of the shooting fair.

Overview of points of interest