A strong signal for peace and democracy: human chain on 13. February 13, 2025
February 13, 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Dresden. Under the motto "Remembering for a future of coexistence in peace and democracy", thousands of people will gather to form a symbolic human chain around the Old Town. This impressive sign of remembrance and reminder of the horrors of the Second World War also stands for a clear commitment to peace and democratic values.
The central commemorative event begins at 5 pm on Theaterplatz with a musical prelude. This will be followed by speeches from Dresden's Lord Mayor Dirk Hilbert and the Rector of Dresden University of Technology, Prof. Dr. Ursula M. Staudinger. Afterwards, the approximately four-kilometer-long human chain will form, leading from Theaterplatz via Brühl's Terrace, along the synagogue, the Frauenkirche and the New Town Hall to Altmarkt and Postplatz. The chain will be closed at 6 pm, accompanied by the ringing of the bells of Dresden's churches. Participants are called upon to join hands and send a strong signal together against war and violence.
Around the 13th of February, Dresden is offering a diverse accompanying program. February, Dresden is offering a comprehensive accompanying programme organized by churches, cultural institutions, civil society initiatives and memorial sites. The commemorative events on the Altmarkt start as early as 8.30 am. The program includes readings, discussions, film evenings, art events in public spaces and commemorative events at cemeteries. Concerts and exhibitions invite people to reflect and remember, while quiet moments of pause offer the opportunity to remember the victims.
The Altmarkt, a central place of remembrance, carries a special historical burden. After the air raids in February 1945, the bodies of almost 6,900 people were cremated there. Their ashes were buried in the Heidefriedhof cemetery. The memorial event on the Altmarkt is organized by the DENK MAL FORT e.V. association in cooperation with the Catholic Academy and the cathedral's parish. The historian Justus H. Ulbricht will give an insight into the historical event, while cathedral priest Norbert Büchner will speak a spiritual word. The organizers ask participants to refrain from making political statements and to behave with dignity on the occasion.
The year 2025 in Dresden will be marked by remembrance. Numerous events in the city center and throughout the city will focus on the bombing of 1945, the end of the Second World War and the social reorganization of the post-war period. Lectures, plays, exhibitions and concerts will focus on the confrontation with history, personal memories and their significance for the present day.
Further information on the commemorative year and the events can be found at Dresden.de and via the Wikipedia entry on the air raids on Dresden.
