Hymn of freedom: Gießen celebrates June 17th with David Hasselhoff doublest

Hymn of freedom: Gießen celebrates June 17th with David Hasselhoff doublest

in Gießen was recently reminded of June 17, 1953, an important date in German history that marked the failed popular uprising in the GDR. A festive event took place in the Hermann Levi hall, which celebrated the day of German unity and at the same time recalled the events of over 70 years ago. The main speaker of the evening, Dr. Florian Greiner, Managing Director of the Learning and Memory location of the Gießengerlager Leary, emphasized the connection between the history of Gießen and the topic of freedom.

Special attention was paid to the brass quartet of the Philharmonic Orchestra Gießen, led by Alexander Schmidt-Ries, who appeared as a double by David Hasselhoff. With his performance of the hits "I’ve Been Looking for Freedom", he touched those present and musically connected the topic of freedom with the memories of the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

commemoration and mediation of history

Mayor Frank-Tilo Becher emphasized that Gießen historically was an important refuge for people from the GDR. In the post -war years, the city was a place of hope for many who had to flee for political reasons. Beaker recalled that a camp for refugees was set up in 1946, which has become a symbol of freedom over the years. These batches of Gießen's history are not only part of the regional identity, but also important for understanding German division.

dr. Greiner presented a new survey that shows a little knowledge of German division among the population. Nevertheless, there is a strong interest in the history of the GDR, which means that memory and education in Gießen must continue to play a central role. The open memorial in the coming year should help to keep the historical story alive and make it accessible to the citizens.

Review of the celebrations

The celebrations on June 17, 1954 in Gießen were the first major memory of the popular uprising. A torchlight procession at the time transformed the city into a center of memory of the efforts of the GDR citizens. Historically, more and more political personalities and citizens have come together in the years to express their sympathy.

Over the years, however, the celebrations and the importance of the day have changed. From magnificent celebrations in the 1960s, in which prominent guests such as Federal Minister took part, to a slow decline in interest, June 17th remains an important date, even if the necessary efforts have to take place to keep the memory active.

A memorial stone that is in the emergency shot warehouse and intends the uprising should be made visible again in the area of learning and memory. This testifies to the embedding of history in the present and future generations. Historian Greiner appealed to those present to deal with this story and to draw the teachings from it.

The musical program of the evening perfectly framed the memories. In addition to the Hasselhoff hit, further songs were heard that underlined the atmosphere of unity and freedom. The evening ended with the German national anthem and the European anthem, which increased the message of cohesion and hope. While the discussion around June 17th lost importance as a national holiday in reunification, the memory of it remains for casting and the region.

For further information about the events and the importance of June 17th in Gießen, interested parties can report on the corresponding reporting on www.giessenerzeiger.de read.