Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

This 1.9 hectare memorial site south of the Brandenburg Gate is covered with 2711 concrete slabs or "stelae" of varying height. It was designed by Peter Eisenman to “produce an uneasy, confusing atmosphere” completely devoid of any symbolism. The Holocaust was the worst genocide in human history. 6 million Jews perished at the hands of the Nazi, mostly at the notorious death camps like Auschwitz. We must commend the Germans for their contrition over past deeds. They devoted a piece of prime real estate at the center of their capital as a memorial to the victims of their past sins. In contrast, the Japanese white washed their past aggressions from text books and, when confronted, could only offer superficial regret for their war atrocities. It would be unthinkable if a German chancellor pays homage to a site honoring Hitler and Himmler. Yet every Japanese prime minister paid respect at the Yasukuni Shrine (靖国神社) which listed convicted war criminals like Hideki Tojo and Iwane Matsui as martyrs.