Commemorating June 17, 1953
Steinmeier demands respect for democracy
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier during his speech at the commemoration hour on the 70th anniversary of the popular uprising in the GDR in the German Bundestag. photo
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa
The Bundestag commemorates the GDR popular uprising 70 years ago. Reason for the Federal President to castigate a “thinny lie” of today.
Seventy years after the popular uprising in the GDR, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier calls for more commitment and recognition for today’s democracy. The Basic Law guarantees exactly the freedoms that the demonstrators would have wanted on June 17, 1953 in their “People’s Petition for Democracy,” said Steinmeier at a memorial service in the Bundestag.
“That’s why I say very clearly: It’s a flimsy lie when the opponents of our democracy, when populists and extremists claim that it’s “just like it was then”, just like it was under the dictatorship,” said Steinmeier. “Anyone who speaks like that is mocking the victims of the SED regime. Anyone who speaks like that is abusing the names of those who risked their lives at the time.”
“An outstanding event in the history of German freedom”
On June 17, 1953, around a million people across the GDR demonstrated against higher labor standards, but also against the Socialist Unity Party SED and the division of Germany, for free elections and more prosperity. The Soviet occupying power, the GDR People’s Police and the State Security stopped the protests. At least 55 people were killed and more than 10,000 arrested.
“The popular uprising of June 17 is an outstanding event in the history of German freedom,” said Steinmeier. In 1989, women and men in the GDR fought for democracy. “All of Germany should be proud of this historical achievement”.
The President of the Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, also recalled this. “1953 and 1989 are part of the great democratic heritage that the people in the east of our country have achieved,” said the SPD politician. “It was a fight that the Germans in the West did not have to fight.” People in the GDR wrote democratic history. “Do we appreciate that?” she asked.
Bas called for the memorial that had already been decided to be erected quickly for the victims of the SED dictatorship and for resistance to communist dictatorship. Federal President Steinmeier emphasized the importance of the “Opposition and Resistance Forum” planned in Berlin. The fact that the Bundestag backed the plans on Thursday is an important step.
Criticism of Kremlin chief Putin
Bas and Steinmeier also recalled the struggle of Ukrainians for freedom. “The so-called greatness to which (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to bring his country back is in fact nothing other than dictatorship, dictatorship and imperialist madness,” said Steinmeier. “We must not allow this madness to destroy Europe’s work of peace and freedom.” That is why Germany stands firmly on the side of Ukraine.
During the ceremony, the members of parliament and guests heard reports from several contemporary witnesses of June 17, 1953 and an audio document from workers in the winding shop of the electric motor factory in Wernigerode. They declared their solidarity with workers in East Berlin who had started a general strike and called for free elections and an end to the division of Germany. The leaders were temporarily imprisoned. Five out of nine fled to West Germany in the summer of 1953, as Steinmeier said.