Message to Germany and the World: Nova “06:29” Exhibit Opens at Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport

Commemorating With Powerful Symbolism

"The Israeli flag will remain atop the German parliament building, and when people express discomfort with it, I say it will not come down in the future. The young people who attended the Nova festival shared similar values to those of the German youth who find Berlin a hub for clubs, parties, and enjoyment. Every citizen should know what happened on 7.10.23."

These moving words were spoken last night by Carin Parin, President of the German Parliament, at the opening of the October 7 memorial events, which will take place this week in Berlin over three consecutive days. Most of the planned ceremonies and events were initiated by the German Embassy in Israel.

Photo: Amit Cotler

At the heart of these events is the "October 7, 06:29 AM - The Moment Music Stood Still" installation by the Nova community. After it was displayed in the United States and Argentina, the installation is making its first European appearance in Berlin's capital, of all places. With the support of Berlin's municipality and the German government, the exhibition's location was set to Tempelhof Airport, a Nazi-era landmark and one of Germany's most prominent tourist sites, symbolizing one of the darkest periods in German and world history.

Watch the Tour of the "06:29" Exhibit in Berlin:

"We chose to showcase the chaos and fragility of that day alongside the resilience of the community members. The historical weight of being here in Berlin, at Tempelhof, adds a message and different meaning to the opening of this exhibit, for Germany and the world", says Reut Feingold, Creator and Director of the "06:29" Exhibit.

Reut Feingold, Director of the Nova's 6:29 Exhibit. Photo: Amit Cotler

The exhibit, one of the largest Nova installations worldwide to date, spans the entire main hall of Tempelhof. After viewing a film depicting the horrific moments at that party on the Black Saturday, visitors are led to the main space where various authentic displays are featured.

Photo: Claudius Pflug

Everything Is Real

Burned vehicles, bullet-pierced chemical toilet stalls, Coca-Cola fridges from the bar where partygoers hid from the murderers, various booths from the festival, the well-known colorful canopy (also riddled with bullets), countless objects collected from the party site - they're all authentic artifacts that have been sourced straight from the festival grounds.  

Further into the venue, visitors reach a memorial hall for the victims, showcasing personal clothing items of victims and survivors separately. The chilling resemblance between the displays brought from Israel to Germany and what occurred in Europe 80 years ago is unmistakable.

Photo: Amit Cotler

Next to the Nova victims' name wall, at the end of the exhibit, there's also a wall featuring the names of the 48 remaining hostages, both living and fallen, still held by Hamas, even on the evening of October 7th, symbolizing that until the last hostage returns, the war is not over.

Omri Sassi, one of the Nova Festival producers and a survivor himself, sums up the first day of the exhibit and tells PassportNews: "People come and stand by each exhibit, it takes them a lot of time, and it shows the essence and interest it generates, particularly in this place, with the message we convey. The journey here starts with the mourning and grief in the Nova community and Israel, and in the end, we also give hope and show that despite what we've been through, we seek peace and wish to continue living good and happy lives. It is very symbolic that we are marking two years since October 7 with a hostage deal on the horizon.

Photo: Amit Cotler

It is my dream for the hostages to be released", he adds. "Of the 20 living hostages, 11 were kidnapped from the Nova festival, I have hostages who are very good friends of mine and were part of this production, and I dream of their return every night. I hope it happens in the coming days. It is one of our most important concerns. If this exhibit raises awareness or provides an extra push to stir public opinion, it will be one of the important things we are doing, and I hope we succeed."

The "06:29" exhibit will be on display until November 16, 2025, at Tempelhof Airport in Berlin, with the entrance fee serving as a donation to the Nova Foundation's activities for survivor rehabilitation and to support the exhibit's future international touring.