Every step is a memory. Every kilometer for a fallen comrade. The March of Remembrance is an impressive symbol of camaraderie, deep respect and solidarity. This year it took place again from 28 to 31 July 2025.
120 kilometers were covered – for 120 fallen. In addition, 3,429 symbolic meters led through Berlin to commemorate the female and male soldiers and civilian Bundeswehr personnel who lost their lives in the service of our country.
A march with symbolism
147 march participants have once again traveled here from all over Germany this year; they come from different Bundeswehr units and are active servicewomen and servicemen, as well as Reservists.
Some are marching for the first time, others have been part of this special commemoration for years.
What unites them is more than just the route: it is the memory. The grief. And the very personal story that motivated them to take part in the march.
The march is a challenge – not only physically, but also emotionally. The participants do not march for themselves, but for those who can no longer march on their own. They march to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.
The name tapes – a sign against forgetting
On the evening before the march begins, each participant receives a name band with the name of a fallen soldier. They wear this name on their uniform for the next four days – as a visible sign of remembrance and against forgetting.
The march route is a physical challenge, but everyone wants to persevere – for the comrade whose name they wear on their uniform. They march on behalf of those who can no longer march themselves.
Some wear the name tape of a close friend or former comrade, others that of a soldier unknown to them. Only through the march and by wearing the band do they engage with this person’s story – and in doing so, learn more about the life behind the name.
The march – community, camaraderie, remembrance
The march distance gets longer every year. This year it is 120 kilometers – for 120 soldiers who fell in action. At the end of the route, an additional 3,429 meters are added to commemorate the female and male soldiers and civilian employees of the Bundeswehr who lost their lives in the line of duty.
This once again highlights the challenges and risks that members of the Bundeswehr face in order to protect the security and freedom of our country.
The march leads through the federal state of Brandenburg and ends in Berlin. It is divided into four stages that are walked together – a route that is not only physically demanding, but also emotionally asks a lot of the participants. There is shared laughter and tears, reflection and silence.
Four days, 120 kilometers, one goal
The march leads participants along a route through Brandenburg all the way to the capital Berlin. Four stages with varied scenery: sometimes through quiet forests and across wide fields, sometimes past small villages and lively towns. Each stage has its own atmosphere.
On the first day it rained, which made the route and the mood particularly challenging.
On the second day, a moving wreath-laying ceremony took place in the Forest of Remembrance in Potsdam – a quiet moment of commemoration.
The third day was marked by a special escort: a formation of army aviation attack helicopters delivered a very special radio message for the march participants. It makes clear that, in spirit, far more than 120 participants are taking part in the march.
The final stage and closing ceremony
The final stage of the march is a particularly emotional moment for many participants. After around 120 kilometers in four days, it leads right through the heart of Berlin – past famous sights and along the bustling streets of the capital – up to the Reichstag building, where the marchers meet the bereaved.
The reunions there are often moving: there is laughter, tears, conversation – and shared silence. Accompanied by their families, the participants once again cover exactly 3,429 meters – for every single member of the Bundeswehr who has died in service since its founding. Servicewomen, servicemen and civilian personnel.
These last meters are the reason why so many have endured four days of pain, rain and exhaustion: to walk side by side with the bereaved – for fathers, brothers, daughters or spouses who did not return.
The route ends at the Bundeswehr memorial. A dignified closing ceremony is held there – accompanied by the guard battalion and with a wreath-laying for a moment of silent remembrance.
Organizers & supporters
The Memorial March was launched in 2018 by the Reservistenarbeitsgemeinschaft Military Brotherhood Germany (RAG MBG) in the Verband der Reservisten der Deutschen Bundeswehr e.V. – driven by the wish to preserve a dignified remembrance of fallen comrades. Since then, the march has taken place once a year, in close cooperation with the Bundeswehr.
ASMC has supported this special event from the very beginning – among other things by providing the name bands that are worn on the chest by the participants during the Memorial March.
The march can only take place thanks to many dedicated people who have made it their mission to keep the memory of the deceased alive – with full commitment, organizational strength and great passion. Their contribution ensures that this dignified remembrance will continue to have its firmly established place in the future.
Image sources: Michael Meckel, Tilo Wieczoreck, Lars Brinkmann.
