One wall

The artist group innerfields created a new mural, which honors the courage and acts of resistance of Dorothee and Harald Poelchau during National Socialism in Germany. This important ONE WALL on the façade of the apartment building at Heckerdamm 233 in Charlottenburg-Nord was developed in a workshop with students from the Anna Freud School. This creative collaboration enabled the participants to engage intensively with the history of the Poelchaus and bring their own perspective to the artwork. By working together on the mural, the young people not only experienced artistic techniques, but also a deeper connection to the history of resistance against the Nazi regime.

Dorothee and Harald Poelchau were recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” by the Israeli Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem in 1971. This is the highest honor that the State of Israel bestows on non-Jewish people. The honorary title is awarded to men and women who risked their lives to save Jews from persecution and murder during the Holocaust in Europe. To date, 651 Germans have been honored as “Righteous Among the Nations”. With this mural, the moving story of the Poelchau couple is to be brought into the present day and conveyed to young people in particular.

The realization of this project is made possible by the close cooperation between the foundation Berliner Leben, the Silent Heroes Memorial Center, the Embassy of the State of Israel and Gewobag. This partnership underlines the joint commitment to keep alive the memory of the courageous deeds of the Poelchaus and to emphasize the importance of humanity and resistance in today’s society. The mural is already the second project in the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung. The ONE WALL by Paula Marie from 2023 about the Heilmann family – created in cooperation with the German Resistance Memorial Center – commemorates people from the resistance after whom the streets of the Paul-Hertz-Siedlung and its surroundings are named.

Innerfields is a Berlin-based artist collective founded in 1998 and known for its dynamic and expressive artworks. The figurative and realistic depictions often integrate graphic elements and symbolic details. Their works reflect the tensions and contradictions of our modern world. They express their social and ecological commitment not only in profound artistic messages, but also with workshops for young people.