Aryanization in Karlsruhe: Historical lecture at the FernUniversität campus
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Jewish Aryanization in Karlsruhe: A lecture on expropriation, responsibility, and remembrance
How radical was the economic elimination of Jewish citizens in Nazi Karlsruhe? The lecture Of ruthless exploiters and friendly "Arians" invites an intense historical examination. On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Dr. Marco Wottge will illuminate the so-called Aryanization in the Baden region as part of the series Conversations at the Gate – Karlsruhe encounters in science, politics, and culture.
Karlsruhe and the Ortenau in historical comparison
At the center is the comparison between the large city of Karlsruhe and the Ortenau rural communities of Kippenheim and Schmieheim. At least 400 properties, more than 1,000 businesses, and numerous valuables of Jewish citizens were forcibly transferred between 1933 and 1945. The lecture places these events within the context of one of the largest expropriation processes in German history.
Scope of action and local responsibility
The event does not solely focus on political decision-makers. It also shows what scope of action the local population had and how economic exclusion and exploitation differed in city and countryside. The Reich Pogrom Night of November 9, 1938, appears as a historical focal point, where the differences between Karlsruhe and the Ortenau municipalities become particularly clear.
Expert knowledge from historical research
Dr. Marco Wottge is a contemporary historian, teacher of history and Protestant religion. In 2015, he received a doctoral scholarship from the city of Karlsruhe to research Aryanization in Karlsruhe. In several publications, he dealt with Aryanization in urban and rural areas. His professional perspective combines scientific research with an understandable categorization for the interested public.
Hybrid event in the heart of Karlsruhe
The event experience is possible both on-site and online. The in-person event takes place in the seminar room ELSASS on the second floor of the Karlsruhe campus of the FernUniversität. A Zoom connection is available for digital participation. No registration is required, and entry is free.
The campus is centrally located on Kriegsstraße. The Ettlinger Tor/Staatstheater stop is just a few minutes' walk away; nearby parking options are available at the Staatstheater and Ettlinger Tor parking garages. Thus, the organization of the event connects low-threshold participation with a demanding scientific program.
An evening against forgetting
At the end stands the socially relevant question of what "medicine" helps against anti-Semitic propaganda. Visitors can expect not a superficial glance back, but a concentrated historical analysis with reference to the present. The atmosphere among the audience thrives on mutual reflection, on a precise look at sources, and on the responsibility to draw consequences from history.
Those wishing to experience Karlsruhe, regional Nazi history, and democratic remembrance culture up close will find an important opportunity to listen, question, and think further in this lecture.
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