The impressive power of music to bring people together in times of political upheaval has been demonstrated time and again over the years and centuries. In connection with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, all the songs burned themselves into the collective memory – even if the songs originally had a different meaning.
German history: memories of November 1989
Some of these songs are now to be sung together for peace, everywhere in Germany. The initiative “October 3rd – Germany sings and sounds” organizes a nationwide open singing on the day of German unity. The association wants to commemorate the peaceful revolution of 1989, when citizens of the GDR took to the streets for more freedom. The non-violent protests were followed by the fall of the Berlin Wall, and finally the two German states of West and East Germany were unified.
In the night from November 9th to 10th, 1989, part of the German-German border crossings were opened for the first time
32 years after the national holiday was celebrated for the first time, more than 200 places are to sing for peace – and thus set an example for diversity and democracy. The campaign’s slogan is “No violence!” and is also to be understood as a position against the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
In view of the war situation, one is experiencing a “change in era on an unprecedented scale,” said Bernd Oettinghaus, head of the “Germany sings and sounds” initiative. “We are learning again how little it can be taken for granted that people stick together, how precious our freedoms are and how threatened peace can be in Europe after 77 years.” They do not want to remain silent, but follow the request of the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj, who said in his speech at this year’s Grammy Awards: “Fill the silence with music”. There are 13 songs on the program, some translated into Ukrainian.
“Thoughts are free”
The motto song this year is “The thoughts are free”, an old German folk song. First published on leaflets around 1780, the text was already an expression of the rebellion for freedom and independence. Later, at the time of National Socialism, resistance fighter Sophie Scholl is said to have stood by the prison wall one evening in August 1942 and played the melody on the recorder to her imprisoned father. Recently, the song has again gained attention because opponents of the federal government’s Corona policy sang it at demonstrations.
With candles and singing, the path to German reunification was also remembered in 2021
The program also includes the Westernhagen song “Freiheit”, the anti-war song “Tell me where the flowers are” and “We Shall Overcome”, an anthem of the US civil rights movement. Likewise the Israeli folk song “Hevenu shalom alechem”, literally: “We want peace for all”.
Network “1700 Years of Jewish Life in Germany” involved
Singing in other languages such as Ukrainian, Russian and Hebrew in particular is intended to set a sign of hope – and a signal against racist and social exclusion, according to the organizers. To the cooperationion partners of the nationwide singing campaign include the German Music Council and the network “1700 years of Jewish life in Germany”.
The patron of the event is the President of the Federal Council and Prime Minister of Thuringia, Bodo Ramelow. In a greeting he emphasizes: “The experience of singing songs together from very different language and cultural backgrounds gives a living example of the ideal of unity in diversity.” The songs would convey a sense of the values to which one should be committed.
Many choirs, music ensembles and clubs took part in the campaign in 2021
