- Brandenburg remembers the building of the wall 63 years ago
Representatives from politics, culture, and society gathered in Potsdam and Großbeeren to commemorate the construction of the Berlin Wall 63 years ago. "More than 28 years, millions of people suffered under the division," said Minister President Dietmar Woidke (SPD) according to a statement from the State Chancellery. At least 140 people lost their lives at the Berlin Wall. "Their death is still a warning to us today. A warning that the freedom will of a people cannot be suppressed indefinitely," Woidke said.
In a time when unity and community spirit are under great pressure, it is important to remember, Woidke emphasized. In the peaceful revolution, people fought for the right to express their opinions without fear. "When some people claim today that they cannot say many things today, it seems to me like mockery and scorn for those who fought for our freedom in 1989."
The construction of the Berlin Wall began on August 13, 1961. The DDR leadership wanted to stop the mass emigration of people to West Berlin and the Federal Republic, which was hindering the DDR economy and destabilizing the state. The approximately 155-kilometer-long barrier divided Berlin for more than 28 years. After mass protests in the DDR, the wall was opened on November 9, 1989.
Landtag President Ulrike Liedtke (SPD) emphasized the importance of remembering the people who lost their lives at the wall. "It is and remains important to remember the women and men who had to pay for their desire for freedom with their lives," she said. This remembrance is owed to the victims - as well as to future generations.
The Brandenburg CDU chairman, Jan Redmann, said: "The commemoration of the Berlin Wall is not only a look back, but also a mandate for the future, which is more relevant today than ever: Freedom and democracy are not a matter of course." They must be "defended, protected, and lived - every day." He also drew a bridge to the current political situation. "If we find that satisfaction is decreasing, as in the current Germany Monitor, we as politicians are called upon to make even greater efforts and to focus fully on solving the problems that move people."
The history of the Berlin Wall serves as a stark reminder of the divide and struggle for freedom that once existed in Germany. Remembering the construction of the Berlin Wall 63 years ago, we honor those who lost their lives in pursuit of unity and freedom.
