Memory in Wedding: The forgotten uprising of June 17, 1953

Memory in Wedding: The forgotten uprising of June 17, 1953

Hennigsdorf, Deutschland - On June 17, 1953, a popular uprising broke out in East Berlin and the GDR, which drew attention to the dissatisfaction of the population about the political and economic conditions. Around one million people protested against rising work standards and a falling standard of living, which led to a huge rebellion. The causes of this uprising were deeply in the past, in particular in the decisions of the SED leadership, which continued to deteriorate living conditions, as the House of History. With Stalin's death in March 1953, many hoped for positive changes, but were disappointed when the SED announced a increase in labor in May.

After the population expressed their displeasure on the streets on June 15 and 16, the protests that were far from the following day. These remained peaceful at first, but the leaf quickly turned: Soviet troops and the folk police were brutal violence against the demonstrators, which further fueled the unrest. One goal of the uprising was the eastern sector, where the Soviet Allies turned out the state of emergency and the protests knocked down. After all, many deaths, such as the Federal Center for Political Education documented; The exact number is still not known, but 55 fatalities are occupied by sources.

unknown heroes and fates

The fates of the victims remained hidden in the dark for a long time. Many names have been lost and the life stories of the dead have often remained unknown. Of the 55 documented victims, 34 were murdered during the protests. Among them were young people like 14-year-old Rudi Schwander or 15-year-old Wolfgang Röhling. These tragic destinies are among the dark chapters of history that are not remembered in the memory of the information from Weddingen

Im Wedding, a district that was not directly affected by the unrest, there is still a monument to the municipal urn cemetery of Seestrasse, which is reminiscent of the victims of the uprising. The deceased were buried here on June 23, 1953. Unfortunately, this memorial, which includes a shell limestone and a sculpture by the sculptor Karl Wenke. In contrast, the victims are regularly reminded of the victims in the Friedrichsfelde central cemetery, which shows how different the memory and memorial culture in Berlin is pronounced.

memorial days and statutory holidays

June 17th has been recognized as a legal holiday in the Federal Republic of Germany and West Berlin since 1954. Every year in Berlin, a wreath resolution is carried out to remember the victims of the popular uprising, organized by the Federal Government and the Berlin Senate. The memorial in Wedding is a silent place of commemoration, which often remains in the shade of larger memorial, but still represents an important sign of dealing with history.

The uprising of June 17, 1953 remains a distinctive point in the history of history of the Germans and serves as a reminder and as a memory of the bonders for freedom and social justice, which at that time often took a high risk to raise their voice.