Moment of silence for victims of the uprising in Berlin, June 1953; Photo; Licensed item; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown; Licensable; Rights: © Bleek/zb Media.
Moment of Silence for Victims of the Uprising in Berlin, June 1953
Description
Moment of silence for victims of the uprising in Berlin, June 1953; Photo; Licensed item; Original: 2880×2160; Photographer: Unknown; Licensable; Rights: © Bleek/zb Media. The photo shows a moment of silence for the victims of the uprising of June 17, 1953, in Berlin. After the violent suppression of the uprising by Soviet tanks and East German security forces, the fallen 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 – whether in public squares, before memorials, or during an official ceremony. In West Berlin, such commemorations took place regularly, particularly on June 17, which was a national day of remembrance known as “Day of German Unity” in the Federal Republic until reunification.
The 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 asked the Soviet Union for help, whereupon Soviet tanks moved into Berlin and other cities, brutally crushing 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 represents the ongoing division of Germany and the Cold War that separated East and West for decades.
