Diverse activities for the Chemnitz Peace Day
Chemnitz sets an example for peace: Hundreds of people from Chemnitz took part in numerous events and activities on Chemnitz Peace Day this Sunday to commemorate the destruction of the city and all victims of the Second World War as well as to set an example for democracy, tolerance, peaceful coexistence and cosmopolitanism, against hatred and right-wing extremism.
"Remembering consciously and confidently is a question of humanity, it is the foundation of our responsibility for the present and the future. Today we are thinking about peace, which is so vital, but no longer seems as self-evident as it did a few years ago. This makes it all the more important that we celebrate peace and hope for peace for the peoples of the world," said Lord Mayor Barbara Ludwig in the morning at the wreath-laying ceremony at the memorial for the victims of the 5 March bombings at the municipal cemetery. Around 150 people had honoured the victims of the night of the bombing 72 years ago.
After devotions in four churches in Chemnitz, the traditional peace routes led along various routes to the central event on Neumarkt, which this year was entitled "Back then - my country before the war". Participants included Hartwig Albiro, Omar Dello, Ricky Goldammer, Jan Heinke, Svetlana Katchour, Baraa Khalili, Andreas Kindschuh, Karl-Heinz Kleve, Manh-Hung Nguyen, Tukayana Paolo-König and Mathis Stendike. Mayor Barbara Ludwig also spoke as part of the programme, which was organised by the Municipal Music School.
Diverse activities
Once again, the Aktion C art project designed posters for the town hall and the Roter Turm gallery. This year, school groups from Chemnitz's twin city Usti nad Labem and from Dresden also took part.
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. Throughout the afternoon, music groups from Tanzania, Eritrea and Afghanistan, among others, played at the Peace Cross. From 2 p.m., Chemnitz residents and refugees had the opportunity to experience peace together in a sporty, playful and creative way in the Stadthallenpark under the motto "Now - our city in peace". At 5 pm, the town hall foyer became a reading stage. Carl Geissler and Heinrich Grossinger read together from the book "Gehen, ging, gegangen" by Jenny Erpenbeck. They were accompanied by the "StreichHölzern" from the municipal music school.
The Chemnitz Nazi-free alliance also organised events: Together with Chemnitzer Wirtschaftsförderungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (CWE) and the DGB Südwestsachsen, the "Willkommen am Kopp" concert was held at the Karl Marx Monument. Hundreds of Chemnitz residents listened to the music of rappers "Fatoni" and "BRKN".
The Chemnitz Peace Day ended in the evening with a peace service in the City and Market Church of St Jakobi and the traditional commemorative ringing of the Chemnitz churches.