Flags hoist for freedom: memory of June 17, 1953!

Flags hoist for freedom: memory of June 17, 1953!

Ostberlin, Deutschland - Today, on June 17, 2025, the popular uprising in the GDR from 1953 is commemorated all over Germany. On this anniversary, numerous flags of the authorities, in accordance with the call of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, whose calling all the Federal Agency's office buildings to set flags. Corporations, institutions and foundations of public law, which are under the supervision of federal authorities, are also encouraged to follow this call. This is a striking gesture that recalls people, which happened 72 years ago when about a million people in the GDR went on the streets for their rights.

The popular uprising took place on June 17, 1953 and was the result of a deep dismissal among the population of the GDR. The economic situation was precarious, and many people suffered from supply bottlenecks and food rationing. This was still tightened by 10.3 percent on May 28, 1953 by a increase in work standards decided by the Socialist Unity Party (SED). On June 16, just one day before the popular uprising, around 10,000 people in East Berlin were already protesting against this increase in standards, which resulted in a general strike.

The uprising breaks out

On the day of the uprising, over a million people formed in 701 cities and municipalities in the GDR. Their demands included the withdrawal of the work standards, free elections and the resignation of the SED government. The mood was charged, and despite the returned Norm increase, which fell on June 16, the resentment remained among the population. In Teterow, demonstrators called for the release of political prisoners, which is remarkable in this context, since some prisoners were actually released. However, these protests were not limited to the cities; There was also resistance to state arbitrariness and oppression in rural regions.

The government's reaction was brutal. Under the use of Soviet soldiers, the uprising was thrown down. The SED described the events as a "contrary -evolutionary coup", while reality was completely different. At least 55 people were killed, including demonstrators and security forces. Over 13,000 arrests were documented nationwide and many participants were exposed to severe reprisals. This mass survey was the first of its kind in the area of ​​power of the Soviet Union, and the fear of the government of further uprisings remained until 1989.

a national day of commemoration

In the Federal Republic of Germany, June 17, 1954 was simply declared the "Day of German Unity" before, after the reunification in 1990, it was made up of October 3, which is now celebrated as a public holiday. But June 17th kept its place in memory awareness as a national day of commemoration. To date, the uprising remains a trauma table chapter of German history, in contrast to the perspective of the GDR, which downplayed and defamed the events. BPB and Schwäbischen Zeitung .