Moment of silence for the victims of the uprising in Berlin in June 1953; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown; Licensable; Rights: © Bleek/zb Media.
Moment of silence for the victims of the uprising in Berlin in June 1953
Description
Moment of silence for the victims of the uprising in Berlin in June 1953; Photo; Licensed article; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown; Licensable; Rights: © Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows a moment of silence for the victims of the uprising on June 17, 1953, in Berlin. After the violent suppression of the popular uprising by Soviet tanks and East German security forces, the killed demonstrators were commemorated in West Berlin and the Federal Republic of Germany.
Many people in the western part of the city gathered in silent sympathy—be it in public squares, in front of memorial sites, or during an official ceremony. In West Berlin, such commemorative events regularly took place subsequently, especially on June 17, which was a national day of remembrance as the “Day of German Unity” in the Federal Republic until reunification.
The popular uprising of June 17, 1953, began as a protest by construction workers against increased work norms but quickly developed into a broad movement against the communist SED regime in East Germany. The East German government requested assistance from the Soviet Union, after which Soviet tanks moved into Berlin and other cities, brutally suppressing the uprising. Hundreds of people were arrested, and many were killed.
The photo symbolizes the remembrance of the courage of the demonstrators who protested for freedom and better living conditions. It also stands for the ongoing division of Germany and the Cold War, which separated East and West for decades.
