An diesem 70. Jahrestag wird des Volksaufstandes in der DDR am 17. Juni 1953 erinnert. Zu diesem Zeitpunkt verschlechterte sich die Lage im wirtschaftlichen, gesellschaftlichen und politischen Bereich. Die durch das Zentralkomitee der SED im Mai 1953 beschlossene Arbeitsnormerhöhung wurde als weitere Verschlechterung der Lebensbedingungen der Arbeiterschaft empfunden. So kam es in der ganzen DDR zu einer Welle von Streiks, Demonstrationen und Protesten welche mit politischen und wirtschaftlichen Forderungen verbunden waren.
These protests and strikes were suppressed and crushed with the help of the Soviet military, and many people were killed. Thousands of protesters were temporarily imprisoned and 1526 defendants were tried. 2 people were sentenced to death.
17 June was declared a public holiday in the Federal Republic of Germany on 4 August 1953 as the "Day of German Unity". Since 1990, this public holiday has fallen on 3 October as the "Day of German Unity" to commemorate the accession of the 5 new federal states to the Federal Republic of Germany.
To mark this anniversary, public buildings all over Germany, including the Rüdersdorf town hall, are flagged.
Source photo: © Carsten Grunwald/ PIXELIO