The competition
A milestone for the Swiss Memorial: after more than three years of preparatory work and an internationally noted competition that drew 55 entries, of which 11 were shortlisted, the winning project for the memorial site in Bern has now been chosen. A look back at the road so far — and ahead to the next steps on the way to completion in 2027/2028.
The winning project presented in Bern this week marks, for now, the high point of a process spanning more than three years.
The starting point was the Federal Council’s decision of 26 April 2023 to create a national memorial site in the city of Bern for the victims of National Socialism. The Federal Council approved 2.5 million francs for the project and tasked the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) with its implementation. As the site, the City of Bern made available the Casinoterrasse — a central, history-laden location in the immediate vicinity of the Federal Palace.
Over the following two years, the FDFA, together with the City of Bern and the project’s civil-society initiators, developed the basis for an international competition. This was put out to tender in July 2025 on the procurement platform simap.ch and drew extraordinary interest: 55 interdisciplinary teams entered, of which the jury selected eleven at the end of 2025 for further development of their projects.
© ASA+SAGA
The winning project and next steps
The submitted projects were assessed in summer 2026, resulting in the selection of «unfolded minute» as the winning project — presented at a press conference with Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, Mayor Marieke Kruit, and jury chair Madeleine Schuppli. A sound wall makes the individual fates of victims sensorially tangible through one-minute sound sequences. This is complemented by digital information panels offering interpretive content. The contribution creates a memorial site that combines artistic expression with historical interpretation. This decision marks an important milestone; the building-permit procedures will follow next. Completion of the memorial site, which will be freely and permanently accessible to the public at no cost, is planned for 2027/2028.
A supporting association will take on long-term responsibility for the site’s operation, maintenance and further development. The association was founded in June 2025 by the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities (SIG), the Society for Minorities in Switzerland (GMS), and the Archive for Contemporary History at ETH Zurich (AfZ). The memorial site in Bern is a central pillar of the Swiss Memorial, which also comprises the network and the planned interpretation centre in Diepoldsau.
© Rahel Zaugg
The exhibition of all 11 projects shortlisted by the jury at the Zentrum Paul Klee in Bern is open to the public free of charge from Wednesday, 23 September, to Saturday, 26 September 2026, daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
More information on the competition from the FDFA.
On the tender on simap.
On the winning project on simap.
