Chemnitz Peace Day 2019: "Peace in dialogue"
Chemnitz under the sign of peace: Numerous people from Chemnitz commemorated the bombing of the city and the victims of the Second World War with a variety of events and campaigns today and, under the motto "Peace in dialogue", set an example for democracy, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and openness to the world, against hatred and right-wing extremism.
At 10 a.m., Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig laid a wreath together with citizens and members of parliament at the memorial for the bomb victims of 5 March at the municipal cemetery. In addition to the mayor's commemorative speech, pupils from the Annenschule expressed their thoughts on peace, while two young wind players from the municipal music school provided the musical accompaniment.
In the afternoon, two contemporary witness films were shown in the City Council Chamber of the Town Hall: In the film "The Last Witnesses", Chemnitz residents who experienced 5 March 1945 as children have their say. Last year, the city called on people to share their personal experiences in this way. This resulted in a film and a brochure, which is available from the town hall. In addition, the film "Children at War", which was released last year, was also shown. After the film screenings, the audience took the opportunity to talk about the film and the events it depicted. Among others, honorary citizen Christoph Magirius, former theatre director Hartwig Albiro, contemporary witness Karl-Heinz Kleve, Dr Stephan Pfalzer from the city archives and artist Dagmar Ranft-Schinke took part in the discussion.
The traditional peace trails led from five Chemnitz churches on different routes to the central event at Neumarkt.
The closing event there, to which numerous Chemnitz personalities had called, was held in the evening under the motto "Peace in dialogue". In addition to Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig, Dr Ralf Beutmann (Smac), Pastor Stephan Brenner, Christoph Magirius, Hartwig Albiro, Ronald Langhoff and Teresa Pinhero, among others, expressed their thoughts on the motto. The brass ensemble of the Robert Schumann Philharmonic Orchestra played on two balconies of the town hall and Galerie Roter Turm, so that a unique dialogue between the music groups could be heard. The concept was developed by Nancy Gibson, Director of the Municipal Music School.
Visitors took the opportunity to place candles on a stylised dove of peace measuring around 2.5 x 2.5 metres, thus symbolically lighting it up. During the event, the town hall was illuminated in the colours of the Day of Peace and with a dove of peace.
Diverse activities
The Chemnitz Peace Cross opened at 11 a.m. on the Neumarkt, where the people of Chemnitz were able to articulate their wishes for peace. The exhibition "Shot with light" was also shown on the Neumarkt and in the exhibition room of the town hall. The 52 months of the First World War were commemorated on 52 large photo panels. The "'Red Hand Day' - No Child Soldiers!" campaign stand opened at 2 p.m.
In the St. Jakobi church, pupils from the Chemnitz Montessori School and the Chemnitz Municipal Music School presented a programme for the "Inklu-WAS?" exhibition under the motto "Together for Peace".
The Chemnitz Peace Day traditionally ends in the evening with a peace service in the Stadt- und Marktkirche St Jakobi and the traditional commemorative ringing of all Chemnitz churches at 9 pm.