Today, 5 March, hundreds of people from Chemnitz commemorated the bombing and destruction of Chemnitz on 5 March 1945 at numerous events and actions.
The evening's main event on Neumarkt was entitled "Frieden stiften durch Versöhnung" (Building peace through reconciliation) and was organised by the AG Friedenstag. Dean John Witcombe (Dean of Coventry Cathedral), Alexander Dierks (President of the Saxon State Parliament) and Dr Peter Seifert (Lord Mayor of Chemnitz from 1993 to 2006) expressed their thoughts on the topic. The musical programme was provided by the band GoNG. The name GoNG stands for Gorizia/Nova Gorica - two cities for which the national border between them no longer plays a role and which, alongside Chemnitz, are European Capitals of Culture this year.
Lord Mayor Sven Schulze: "Reconciliation means reaching out a hand - across borders, between former enemies, between generations, between cultures and religions. It means overcoming hatred and prejudice, opening up to dialogue, recognising the value of others. It also means taking responsibility and actively working towards a society in which respect and dignity for all people are the top priority."
The day began in the morning with the traditional commemoration ceremony at the municipal cemetery, where wreaths were laid at the memorial for the victims of the bombing of the city of Chemnitz. Lord Mayor Sven Schulze, President of the State Parliament Alexander Dierks, contemporary witness Eva Otto and pupils from Chemnitz secondary schools commemorated the night of the bombing in Chemnitz on 5 March 1945.
Lord Mayor Sven Schulze: "For many, this day is not just a day of remembrance, but a very personal moment of remembrance - of relatives, of friends, of what was irretrievably lost. But our memories must not remain in the past. Today, we not only remember the victims of that time, but also remind ourselves of the responsibility that comes with it. We know that Suffering and destruction caused by people can only be prevented through social cohesion. It is up to us to actively protect peace and democracy. The 5th of March must never be misused for agitation or political instrumentalisation."
Commemorative events, church services, concerts, exhibitions, films by contemporary witnesses, art projects, discussions, sporting activities - the Chemnitz Peace Day programme was once again diverse this year:
Since the morning, Chemnitz residents have been able to formulate their wishes for peace at the Peace Cross on Neumarkt square. The peace banners of the youth art project Aktion C adorned the town hall and Neumarkt. At the Democracy Centre of the citizens' association FUER CHEMNITZ e.V. and the AG Friedenstag in cooperation with the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH, participants exchanged views on the threats to democracy and the conditions for democratic coexistence. The peace routes started from seven points in the city and met at Neumarkt before the start of the main event.
In the city council chamber of the town hall, reconciliation was discussed under the title "Peace - a European idea" in a joint panel discussion organised by the City of Chemnitz and the State Centre for Political Education. The Very Reverend John Witcombe signed the Golden Book of the City of Chemnitz beforehand. He will also award the Cross of Nails of Coventry in the evening and attend the founding of the Ecumenical Cross of Nails Centre Chemnitz.
Chemnitz Peace Day 2025 will end with a peace service in the Stadt- und Marktkirche St Jakobi and the commemorative ringing of the bells of all Chemnitz churches at 9 pm.
The Chemnitz Peace Day is a co-operation between the Chemnitz Peace Day Working Group and the City of Chemnitz. Impressions from today and the accompanying programme for the coming days can be found at www.chemnitz.de/friedenstag and www.chemnitzer-friedenstag.de.