Maximilian Dortu – A Life Dedicated to Freedom and Justice

On July 31, 1849, Maximilian Dortu was executed at the age of just 23 “for treason” at the old cemetery in the Wiehre district. His fate continues to move the people of Freiburg to this day.

Dortu was born in Potsdam in 1826. He devoted the last two years of his short life entirely to the struggle for freedom and social justice, first in his native Brandenburg and, beginning in May 1849, as a participant in the Baden Revolution. After his violent death, his comrades quickly elevated him to the status of a “hero” and “martyr”; in Freiburg, he became the quintessential symbol of the revolutionary movement of 1848–49. The City Archives not only explore the key stages of his life but also highlight connections to other key figures of the democratic movement and place these events within the context of Freiburg’s revolutionary chronicle.

Visits and Guided Tours

The exhibition can be viewed through the end of October during the archives’ opening hours (Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday until 6 p.m.). Public guided tours take place on the first Wednesday of every month at 3 p.m. and are also available upon request.