Hundreds of thousands celebrate in Schwerin: Uniform festival inspires everyone!

Hundreds of thousands celebrate in Schwerin: Uniform festival inspires everyone!

On October 3, 2024, the day of German unity was celebrated in Schwerin with a large citizens' festival. The event attracted numerous visitors and offered a rich program that included both political speeches and cultural highlights. The city, which is known as the smallest state capital of Germany, expects around 100,000 guests alone for this festive day.

The Mayor of Schwerin, Rico Badenschier (SPD), opened the festival in a festive mood, followed by opening events that focus on the topic of German unity. The Bundestag, Federal Council and numerous ministries also took part in the celebration and enabled visitors to find out about the achievements and challenges since reunification.

insights into the political speeches

A central moment of the celebrations was the speech by Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He emphasized that the unity does not mean that East Germany had to fully resemble the West. "Our inner variety is not a deficit - it is a special strength of our country," said Scholz. Despite the positive achievements since reunification, he pointed out that after 34 years there are still noticeable differences, which are often due to the different experiences of people in Eastern and West Germany. This statement underlined the fact that the "history of German unity has not yet ended" and called on to add new chapters.

In addition, the Prime Minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Manuela Schwesig, commented on the historical brave demonstrations that led to reunification. She emphasized that the people who advocated their rights were decisive for the 1989 peaceful revolution. In her speech, she found that despite the progress achieved, differences in living conditions are still recognizable, especially when it comes to wages and economic opportunities.

The Citizens' Festival also offered a platform for the exchange of stories and experiences. In a special broadcast of the NDR, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania reported on their personal careers since the turn. These reports ranged from the life story of a former state representative to stories from a headmistress who was able to return to her old primary school.

At the different stands and stages there was a lot of hustle and bustle, with long snakes on popular attractions. Especially at the status of the Federal Ministry of Health, people crowded to hear the explanations of Karl Lauterbach, who described the reunification as the "stroke of luck of history". He warned that without the circumstances at the time of reunification and the presence of a peaceful atmosphere by the government at the time, not only German unity, but possibly war in Europe would have been followed.

celebrations and safety precautions

The security measures for the celebrations were extensive, with a large police force consisting of officials from the state and federal police. These precautionary measures were taken to ensure the security of the politicians and the crowd present. The police spoke of one of the greatest missions in recent years to ensure a safe environment during the celebrations.

The celebrations also included numerous cultural attractions, including concerts with well -known artists such as Roland Kaiser, who performed live in the evening, and an ecumenical service in the Schwerin Cathedral, which traditionally preceded the celebrations. Central topics such as human dignity and social cohesion were addressed here in order to underline the values on which the unity are based.

The city was shaped by a diverse program that not only emphasized the political dimension of the unit, but also celebrated the cultural diversity of Germany. This included gastronomic stands that offered regional specialties, as well as numerous events for children and families. It was a feast for young and old that gave the opportunity to experience the different facets of German unity.

Schwerin, who already organized the uniform celebrations in 1992 and 2007, proved again that it is a popular place for such solemn occasions. The joint celebrations celebrated the solidarity and the positive balance of German unity, which, despite all the difficulties in the past 34 years, is largely seen as a success. Nevertheless, there were also questions and challenges that need to be managed in the future to continue the unit in diversity.

More details on the celebrations and speeches are at www.ndr.de to be found.