35 Jahre Mauerfall – Wie krisenfest ist unsere Demokratie?

In the organizer's words:

Pandemic, climate crisis, inflation, wars: In recent years, our society has been and continues to be exposed to numerous crises. At the same time, we are seeing the rise of populism in Germany. Extreme and anti-democratic positions such as those of the AfD are gaining popularity. This also means that democracy must prove itself!

October 9, 1989 in Leipzig, when hundreds of thousands of people protested peacefully against the GDR regime, shows the power of civil commitment. But 35 years after the fall of the Wall, a division between East and West remains visible. For example, survey results show that people in East German states in particular are dissatisfied with the way democracy works in Germany.

Why do we still see clear differences between the different parts of the country today - not only politically, but also in terms of income, wealth and infrastructure? How do people in East and West Germany view reunification today? And how can we, despite different experiences and realities of life after the fall of the Wall, move closer together as a society and strengthen our commitment to democracy?

We would like to discuss these and other questions on the occasion of the anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution and the fall of the Wall. We will not only look at German history, but also at our neighboring countries and the question of what we can learn from (un)democratic developments in Hungary or Poland, for example.

As part of the event, Joachim Gauck, former German President, will give a speech to mark 35 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. This will be followed by a panel discussion:

• Joachim Gauck, former Federal President
• Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research
• Prof. Dr. Gwendolyn Sasse, Academic Director of the Center for East European and International Studies Berlin
• Emilia Henkel, Research Associate at the Chair of Modern History/Contemporary History, Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Moderation: Anja Heyde, journalist

After the event, visitors are cordially invited to come together for drinks and snacks and to exchange ideas.

Admission is free. Registration is required by October 2.

The event is organized by Wissenschaft im Dialog together with the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and Leipzig University. It is part of the event series Freedom Perspectives in the Science Year 2024 - Freedom and is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Price information:

Free admission, registration until October 2.