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Potsdam commemorates the victims of the popular uprising of June 17, 1953!
On June 16, 2025, Potsdam will commemorate the victims of the popular uprising of June 17, 1953 with an event and a play.
Potsdam commemorates the victims of the popular uprising of June 17, 1953!
The popular uprising of 1953 in the GDR will be comprehensively honored in Potsdam on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. On the occasion of this historic event, the city of Potsdam and the state government remember the victims who died in the protests. Mayor Burkhard Exner will give a welcoming speech at the Lindenstrasse Memorial at 3 p.m., emphasizing the fundamental importance of freedom and democratic values. The Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Robert Crumbach gives the memorial speech and thereby promises to strengthen the memory of the events of that time.
The popular uprising, which took place in more than 700 municipalities, not only remains alive in the minds of contemporary witnesses, but also leaves deep traces in the files of the Federal Archives. Reports on the events were written by both the GDR and the Federal Republic and published in three volumes, highlighting the different perceptions and consequences of the uprising. Historian Ronny Heidenreich, a research assistant at the Federal Archives, emphasizes how quickly information about the unrest traveled from East to West - thanks to refugees and informants.
A bloody fallout
The uprising was brutally suppressed; The Soviet military and the people's police took action against the demonstrators without hesitation. In Brandenburg, where the uprising took place in more than 150 places, many people were arrested. In the Potsdam district alone, 215 people were arrested by state security. This led to a noticeable increase in surveillance measures by the Stasi domestically. The inclusive ensemble Miteinander will also perform at the memorial event with the play “Freizeichen”, musically accompanied by saxophonist Christian Raake, to give an artistic voice to the sacrificial past.
The memory of the nation
The memorial event is a valuable opportunity for everyone who deals with the history of the Nazi and GDR times and does not want to forget the lessons of the past. Mayor Exner and Minister Crumbach emphasize that it is not just about remembering, but also about defending freedom and justice - an appeal that is more relevant than ever in our time. Especially at a time when many people in different parts of the world are fighting for their basic rights, this day of remembrance with its message of freedom comes all the more at the right time.
The June 17 commemoration offers us the opportunity to look back and reflect on how far we have come and what challenges still lie ahead. It is an urgent call to protect the values that many people have defended with courage and determination - against oppression, violence and injustice.