War against Ukraine: Pop scene mobilized with “Sound of Peace”

war against Ukraine
Pop scene mobilized with “Sound of Peace”

With a large solidarity rally, cultural workers demonstrated their support for Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, in front of thousands of people on Sunday in Berlin.

According to the organizers, the peace campaign “Sound of Peace” should be “Europe’s largest musical rally” against the war. Thousands of people also demonstrated against the war in other German cities.

According to the police, an estimated 15,000 people came to the musical event with around 50 performances in Berlin. Many posters called for immediate peace. Blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine, were often seen. The aim of “Sound of Peace” should also be to collect donations to support the victims of the war in Ukraine. According to the organizers, more than twelve million euros were collected by the evening.

Also present was Natalia Klitschko, wife of the mayor of Kyiv and ex-professional boxer Vitali Klitschko. “Only together can we create peace,” she said. Klitschko then sang a “new song for my country” with “Better Days”. “It is important to see the masses that come together here. It’s important to see that the whole world stands for Ukraine,” said Natalia Klitschko.

There were always contributions on stage in which the situation in Ukraine and of refugees there and worldwide was described. Musicians and singers held the microphone in their hands. Accompanied by thousands of voices, Marius Müller-Westernhagen sang his song “Freiheit”, Peter Maffay acclaimed “Over seven bridges”. Pascal Kravetz sang “Why are wars there for”, the song he sang with Udo Lindenberg in 1981 and made famous. Violinist David Garrett played, Michael Patrick Kelly ushered in a minute’s silence for peace. Clueso sang a song together with the Ukrainian elementary school teacher Katharina. Fury in the Slaughterhouse was there, as was In Extremo, Mia., Mine, Revolverheld, Sarah Connor, Silbermond, The BossHoss and Zoe Wees.

Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens), formerly a band manager herself, said: “Music transcends all borders, brings people together – music gives hope, gives strength against those who bring hatred and violence and murder and death with them.” It is important that Russian artists are also present. “It would be devastating if we were to end up in a cultural boycott now,” emphasized Roth.

There were also demonstrations in other cities

Several thousand people also demonstrated against the war in Hamburg. The organizers assumed more than 5,000 participants, the police estimated the number at the beginning of the event at around 3,000. Posters read “STOP AggRussia”, “Nato help finally” or “Russian say no to war”. Rowers from eight clubs protested against the war on the water.

According to the police, around 600 to 700 demonstrators came together in Frankfurt am Main, significantly fewer than expected. People held up signs that read, among other things, “Stop War, Putin” or “Putin will lose the war”. In Bremen, the police estimated the number of participants in a peace demonstration at around 1,300, in Hildesheim at 700.

At a large benefit concert in the Austrian capital Vienna, dozens of musicians, including Bilderbuch and Wanda, played for free in front of more than 40,000 spectators in the Ernst Happel Stadium on Saturday. Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen thanked everyone for their willingness to help. “Together we are sending a strong signal for peace,” he said in a speech. He also addressed Russian President Vladimir Putin directly, whose army invaded Ukraine on February 24: “President Putin, stop this war!”

dpa