Bielefeld Students Sang Racist Song at Bergen-Belsen Memorial, Prompting Outrage

The July 2024 incident, confirmed by the Bergen-Belsen memorial foundation, has reignited discussions on racism and the educational role of Holocaust memorials.

A group of ninth-grade students from Bielefeld sang a racist version of 'L'amour Toujours' at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp memorial in July 2024.
The altered song included the lyrics 'Deutschland den Deutschen, Ausländer raus,' which staff at the memorial promptly intervened to stop.
The school imposed disciplinary measures and filed a formal complaint following the incident, with teachers reportedly unaware as they were at a ticket counter.
Videos of the altered song have circulated online since October 2023, with similar incidents reported, raising concerns about the normalization of such behavior.
The Bergen-Belsen memorial foundation has confirmed its engagement with the school and emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of Holocaust memorials as educational spaces.