Magdeburg commemorates brave citizens: 70 years of the popular uprising of 1953!

Magdeburg commemorates brave citizens: 70 years of the popular uprising of 1953!

On Monday, June 17th, a significant commemoration of the 1953 popular uprising will take place in Magdeburg. From 3:00 p.m., the state capital Magdeburg and the Moritzplatz Memorial will look back on the protests that mobilized people in the GDR 72 years ago. Mayor Simone Borris will emphasize the special significance of this day of remembrance in her speech. Over 20,000 people from Magdeburg took part in the mass protests that stood for self-determination and freedom, as Meetingpoint Magdeburg reports.

The popular uprising was characterized by a wave of unrest and huge protests that spread among the workers. Prompted by the increase in labor standards and the ongoing economic misery, there were massive demonstrations on June 17, 1953 in Magdeburg, Halle, Leipzig and many other cities. These events make Magdeburg an important focal point of the protests, as Volksstimme describes in detail. The protest marches formed between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and marched through the streets towards the city center.

Memorial hour in the Moritzhof

Various contributions are expected during the memorial hour, including Dr. Daniel Bohse, the director of the Moritzplatz Memorial, and Dr. Carl-Gerd Winter, chairman of the Association of Victims of Stalinism. In addition, Andreas Arnsfeld from the German War Graves Commission will pay tribute to the dead. The event will conclude with a minute's silence and a wreath-laying ceremony and will be accompanied by musical performances. There will then be guided tours of the memorial to give participants the opportunity to get to know the historical background in more detail.

On June 17, 1953, the people of the GDR not only demanded improvements in working conditions, but also fundamental changes such as the resignation of the government and free elections. These riots were the first mass uprising in the Soviet Union's sphere of influence, and the socialist government responded with brutal force. The Soviet troops intervened and suppressed the uprising with bloody violence, with at least 55 people, including numerous demonstrators, losing their lives, as the Federal Agency for Civic Education explains here.

Reminder and reminder

In the days following the uprising, arrests and convictions of activists continued, many of whom received long prison sentences. The events of June 17, 1953 still remind us today of the dangers of oppression and the pursuit of freedom. Places like the Platz des 17. Juni and Herbert-S Tauch-Strasse in Magdeburg remember the courageous citizens who rebelled against the SED dictatorship. The memorial event next Monday will undoubtedly be an important contribution to keeping this history alive and remembering the victims.

The involvement in Soviet power politics and the difficulties that the GDR residents once experienced sharpen our awareness of the values ​​of freedom and democracy that must be defended. To all citizens who would like to commemorate with us: let us come together and stand for the freedom of the past and the future.