Memorial bike tour through Schönebeck: remind and cycle for peace!

Memorial bike tour through Schönebeck: remind and cycle for peace!

Schönebeck, Deutschland - On June 26, 2025, not only the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War is honored, but also celebrated the success of European integration and the UN. The celebrations are part of the large-scale project "Bike the Line-Memorial Rad tour 2025", which deals with the war and its consequences. This special bike tour extends along the former demarcation line from Wismar to Vienna and aims to keep the memory of central historical events awake.

Events are planned for June 30 and July 10, 2025 in Schönebeck, where the city is also a station on the route. The tour starts with a children's university in Wismar before the cyclists arrive in Vienna at the end of the route in the UN building. In addition to the sportiness of the bike tour, there will also be lectures: On June 30th, Prof. Dr. Herbert Witte on the course of the war in Central Germany, while Britta Meldau presented the results of her research in the Schönebeck city archive on July 10th. It is clear that these commemorative events not only provide historical facts, but should also encourage them to deal with their own history. So Meldau emphasizes that Schönebeck escaped with courageous citizens of destruction by the Americans.

keep memories

A vivid example of memory culture is the bike tour in the North Rhine-Westphalian Swisttal, which is reminiscent of the flood disaster from two years ago. Under the motto "Ten trees - ten locations", memorial trees were planted in the ten districts of the municipality. This tree species is not only a symbol of hope, but also a memorial for those affected in the catastrophic flooding. Mayor Petra Kalkbrenner underlines the importance of decentralized memory.

The bike tour enables the participants to hear the stories of those affected and to actively deal with the past. The stories of Wolfgang Kusch and Dieter Trammer are particularly moving. Kusch took part in the tour to commemorate relatives who were affected by the flood, while Trammer reported on personal losses in his basement. The bike tour aims to strengthen the community and to establish memories in every district.

Understand the prospects of the past

Memory culture not only plays a role at the local level, but also in a European context. The documentation center in Berlin will hold an event on the subject of forced relocations during and after the Second World War on May 13, 2025. The lack of knowledge about the war of extermination of Nazi Germany in eastern Europe is discussed.

In the current debate between Germany and Poland, the memory of the victims of the Nazi occupation should play a central role. To this end, the need was emphasized to use different perspectives on the end of the Second World War and its effects on the present. This relevant discussion strengthens cohesion and promotes solidarity in Europe, which gains importance, especially in the context of the more tense relationship and Russia.