76th Congress of Sudeten Germans in Brno – First Historic Meeting in the Czech Republic

Brno will host the 76th Congress of the Sudeten German Homeland Association (Sudetendeutsche Landsmannschaft) from May 22–25, 2026 – the first time this gathering has taken place on Czech territory. The congress motto is the bilingual "Alles Leben ist Begegnung – Life is Encounter". The event is organized at the invitation of the Brno civic initiative and the Meeting Brno festival, which has long been dedicated to Czech-German dialogue and commemorating shared history.

The main venue is the Brno Exhibition Grounds (Výstaviště 405/1), where visitors will find a diverse programme: lectures, presentations, dialect readings, film screenings, book presentations, musical performances, discussions, and a Bohemian-Moravian village festival. The ceremonial opening will take place on Friday, May 22 at noon with a musical and dance performance on Moravian Square; in the evening, Sudeten German cultural awards will be presented. On Saturday, May 23, a memorial service will be held at the Expulsion Memorial in Pohořelice, followed by the traditional March of Reconciliation from Pohořelice to Brno, commemorating the so-called Brno death march. In the afternoon, the exhibition hall will open with stands from Sudeten German organizations. On Sunday, May 24, services and the main assembly will take place with speeches by the association's chairman Bernd Posselt and the Bavarian Prime Minister, followed by the presentation of the European Charles Prize. Approximately one thousand participants from abroad and the Czech Republic are expected.

For security reasons, prior registration on the 76th Congress website is required for entry to the exhibition grounds. Visitors without registration will not be allowed through the gates.