Bautzen: Peace Bridge is decorated with tradition and colors!

Bautzen: Peace Bridge is decorated with tradition and colors!

In Bautzen, a proposal from the AfD parliamentary group to decorate the Peace Bridge was recently discussed at a city council meeting. This occurred in the context of a venerable tradition that dates back to 1346. On this historic date, the Upper Lusatian Six-City Association was founded, which once consisted of the cities of Bautzen, Görlitz, Zittau, Löbau, Kamenz and Lauban. The proposal calls for the bridge to be decorated with blue and yellow ribbons on Upper Lusatia Day, August 21st, and with black, red and gold ribbons on German Unity Day, October 3rd. The aim of this campaign is to remember the founding roots and the common identity of the cities, as Sächsische.de reports.

The symbolism of the colors plays a central role here. Nicole Scharpe from the AfD emphasized the importance of making the culture of Upper Lusatia visible and recalled that the black, red and gold ribbons also represent a sign of the reunification of Germany. In the lively discussion in the city council, Monika Vetter from the CDU also brought up the idea of ​​integrating the Sorbian colors in order to honor the local culture. But an amendment to include the Sorbian colors was rejected.

The Six Cities League in a historical context

The roots of the Upper Lusatian Six-City Association go back a long way. In the 14th century, the cities faced some pressure from powerful nobles who raided trading expeditions. In order to protect themselves, the councilors of the six cities concluded an alliance on August 21, 1346, which guaranteed them mutual support against murderers and robbers. The cities flourished in the following centuries, supported each other and even organized joint military operations, such as a siege of Tollenstein Castle, to avert attacks, as Görlitz.de documents.

The Six Cities League operated as a political institution for almost 500 years and promoted not only trade but also agriculture in the region. Even though the association was dissolved in 1815, its spiritual legacy continues to this day. In 1991 it was symbolically renewed and now includes seven cities, including the Polish city of Zgorzelec, which emerged from the former Görlitz urban area, according to Wikipedia.

Modern challenges

The discussion about the decoration of the Peace Bridge not only reflects the desire for tradition, but also current social challenges. Recently there have been repeated incidents in which colored ribbons intended to express solidarity with Ukraine were removed by unknown persons. Anja Hennersdorf of the SPD reported that her own tapes were repeatedly destroyed, leading to federal and local reactions.

The costs for the planned decoration are estimated at around 4,000 euros. The City Council will fund the expenditure from the city budget, although some members also suggested obtaining the tapes themselves to minimize costs. Through these offers and the general support for the project, the AfD parliamentary group was willing to help hang the ribbons, which further invigorated the initiative.

With this measure, the city council not only wants to consolidate the region's cultural roots, but also initiate a dialogue about the meaning of identity and community over time. In this way, historical bridges may be brought into the consciousness of today's generation not only symbolically, but also visually.