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Leipzig, October 9, 1989 |
Leipzig's Monday demonstration on the 9th of October, 1989 was the decisive factor of the Peaceful Revolution. 70,000 demonstrators overcame their fears and confronted the DDR's armed security forces with their chant of "We are the People". The Peaceful Revolution became unstoppable. |
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Live coverage from Danzig during 2011's Light Festival at the Leipzig Augustusplatz. Photo: Stefan Nöbel-Heise |
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Remembering the Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig and Danzig |
Light Festival
About 25.000 Leipzigers and guests of the city attended the Light Festival on October 9, 2011 and remembered the events of the Peaceful Revolution and autumn ´89. At the Augustusplatz, visitors experienced an artistic interpretation of the ideas surrounding freedom, solidarity and public involvement. A video performance projected onto the façade of the Leipzig Opera House's combined current and highly emotional historic photographic and film material from Danzig and Leipzig to provide new, modern perspectives. The sequences were embedded in live coverage of a special concert from Danzig.
Burkhard Jung, Mayor of Leipzig, and Dr. Marek Prawda, Polish ambassador, used their opening statements to remind those in attendance that the freedoms won so difficultly must constantly be safeguarded and defended while Light Festival participants lit thousands of candles to create an over-dimensional, luminous "´89". |
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"History from Beyond the Iron Curtain" Exhibition in the Nikolai church's courtyard in October 2011 Photo: Stefan Nöbel-Heise |
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Exhibition "History from Beyond the Iron Curtain"
At 3:00 in the afternoon Dr. Marek Prawda, Polish ambassador to Germany and Roland Jahn, Federal Commissioner for Stasi Archives, opened the open-air exhibition "History from Beyond the Iron Curtain" in the Nikolai church's courtyard. |
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Prayers for Peace and the Speech on Democracy
At 5:00 p.m., the Nikloai church opened its doors for the traditional Prayers for Peace. This year, Dr. Hans-Friedrich Fischer, held the sermon. At 6:30 p.m. the Nikolai church also saw the continuation of the Speeches on Democracy series. For the first time in the series, a Polish political personality, ambassador to Germany Dr. Marek Prawda, spoke at the setting of the Prayers for Peace.
Speech on Democracy by Dr. Marek Prawda
Program Booklet "Autumn ’89" (PDF, 3,1 MB)
Strategically, the festival continues up until 2014 with the defined themes of Hungary (2012), the Czech Republic (2013) and the 25th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution (2014). The continuation of artistic and citizen-based projects at historical locations within a European context is foreseen. |
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1989 - Landmark Year for Europe |
Solidarność, the early 1980's Polish freedom movement, preluded and was the beginning of developments which led to the overwhelmingly peaceful revolution in Eastern and Central Europe. People all over - from Poland, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and the Baltic States - took to the streets to stand up for freedom and democracy.
A central theme of 2011's Light Festival conception was the swing over to the "City of Solidarność" Danzig (Gdańsk). Simultaneous to the Light Festival in Leipzig, the Polish metropolis was host to, among other things, a reception, and a special concert in the Polish Baltic Philharmonic. The orchestra, conducted by Jürgen Wolf Cantor of Leipzig's Nikolai church and the musical director for the Light Festival, played works by Penderecki, Górecki, Bach and Brahms. Concert attendee's in Danzig were also treated to impressions of the events in Leipzig via live broadcast. |
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2011 Event Partners |
Since 2003, the initiative “Day of the Peaceful Revolution – Leipzig 9th of October” has been responsible for planning, organizing and coordinating memorial events. The initiative's members include citizens of Leipzig as well as organizations, institutions, museums and a variety of groups linked to the events which happened in the autumn of 1989.
The Light Festival is presented by Leipzig Tourism and Marketing (LTM) GmbH in cooperation with the City of Leipzig and the initiative “Day of the Peaceful Revolution – Leipzig 9 October 1989”. The Polish Institute in Leipzig has provided considerable support in terms of liaison with the Polish partners and coordination of the activities in Danzig.
The Light Festival has already received a great deal of attention from neighbouring Poland and is receiving top level support: festival patrons include, among others, Mieczyslaw Struk, Marshall of Voivodeship Pomerania, und Paweł Adamowicz, Mayor of Danzig. In addition, this collaborative Festival of Lights has been recognised as an official project by the Polish Presidency of the European Council (1 July – 31 December 2011). An invitation has been issued by Germany’s Consulate General in Danzig to a concert and an official reception honouring the Day of German Unity. |
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Autumn `89 – Further Recommendations |
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Initiative Group – “Day of the Peaceful Revolution – Leipzig 9th October”
Information regarding autumn ‘89 in Leipzig, the “Speech on Democracy”, events and further information can be found at the initiative group’s website, “Day of the Peaceful Revolution – Leipzig 9th of October”. The city of Leipzig is a member of the group. (Only in german Language)
www.herbst89.de
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European Solidarnosc Centre (ECS)
The ECS came into being in 2007 in Danzig as an interdisciplinary institution. With a museum on trade unions, a central archive and a multimedia library it fulfils the functions of a scientific and cultural institute, as well as undertaking educational work. The Centre has two main goals: to retain the legacy of the Solidarnosc movement; and to keep the message alive in the public conscience. The ECS is also a scientific institute, concerned with the modern history of Poland and Europe as well as the history of democracy, liberty movements, justice and human rights.
www.ecs.gda.pl
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The Polish Institute in Leipzig
The Polish Institute is a facility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. The Institute’s task is one of cultural diplomacy in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Its programme encompasses literature, art, film and music, educational projects, as well as discussions about historical and current socio-political topics. The German-Polish dialogue is often conducted in a European context and carried out multilaterally. The beginnings of the Institute go back to 1969, when the Polish Information and Cultural Centre on Brühl was opened under socialist rule. The Polish Institute in Leipzig is happy that Germany and Poland can together celebrate the Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig – 22 years on in a united Europe and simultaneously in Leipzig and Danzig.
www.leipzig.polnischekultur.de
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The City of Danzig
With the August 1980 strikes, which, led by Lech Walesa, reached their peak in the docks of Danzig, and the emergence of the influential people’s movement Solidarnosc, the City of Danzig (Gdańsk) was one of the main proponents in the history of Europe’s unparalleled Peaceful Revolution. Every year Danzig celebrates and remembers 1980 with the “Festival of Liberty”. Regularly recurring cultural events, like the “Solidarity of Arts Festival” or the “All about Freedom Festival”, tie in with the themes of liberty and solidarity. The City of Danzig has described Leipzig’s invitation to celebrate together the Festival of Lights 2011, and in doing so the fight for liberty of its citizens, as “an honour and a pleasure”.
www.gdansk.pl
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Polish Baltic Philharmonic Danzig
The Polish Baltic Philharmonic Danzig is the largest music institution in northern Poland. The Philharmonic Orchestra is today one of the leading orchestras in the country, and the Polish Baltic Philharmonic is a dynamic music centre of international standing. The musical stature of the orchestra has been influenced over the years by numerous renowned directors. Today, General Director Prof. Roman Perucki and Artistic Director Kai Bumann lead the body of skilled musicians. Notable ensembles, conductors and soloists have already performed in the Baltic Philharmonic, and the Danzig Symphony Orchestra has played worldwide and taken part in European festivals.
www.filharmonia.gda.pl
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Voivodeship Pomerania
A “Voivodeship“ is a large administrative district, along the lines of a German State. The Voivodeship Pomerania, with the capital city of Danzig, is one of Poland’s 16 administrative districts. This district is run by Roman Zaborowski. He is the Voivodeship’s central government representative and was named as such by the Polish Prime Minister. As Marshall, Mieczyslaw Struk heads the Executive of the Self-government of Voivodeship Pomerania. Mieczyslaw Struk is patron of the Festival of Lights in Danzig and, alongside Mayor Paweł Adamowicz, will deliver the salutation in the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Danzig. |
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EU Council Presidency
The Presidency of the Council of the European Union rotates for a fixed period: every six months the Presidency changes and is taken up by one of the EU Member States. Since 1 July 2011, the Council has been meeting under the Presidency of the Republic of Poland, when the cabinet members led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk took over the Presidency from Hungary. Leipzig’s Festival of Lights will take place under the patronage of the Polish EU Presidency and has been honoured with the use of their logo. The logo was created by renowned graphic designer Jerzy Janiszewski. He is also the ‘father’ of the well-known Solidarnosc logo, which the opposition strike movement used from 1980. |
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