Berlin gymnasium renamed after Holocaust survivor Margot Friedländer

A gymnasium in the Spandau district of Berlin has been officially renamed the Margot Friedländer Gymnasium. This marks the first school in Germany to be named after the Holocaust survivor and witness, who passed away in May 2025.

The renaming of the former Hans Carossa Gymnasium follows years of collaboration between Friedländer and the school. Since 2011, she had regularly visited the institution to engage with students about her life experiences and the crimes of the National Socialist regime. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner attended the ceremony, stating that Friedländer’s life serves as both a model and a mandate to protect democracy and combat antisemitism.

The Margot Friedländer Foundation granted the school the naming rights, and the school conference voted unanimously for the change.