Declaration by the Berlin Authors’ Association, 14 September 1989. As the leadership of the GDR refused to comment on the rising tide of people escaping, the writers pointed out that the causes were to be found within the country. They called for a public debate.
Quelle: Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft
Rock musicians and singer-songwriters in particular were the driving force behind this declaration dated 18 September 1989, calling for political reforms. The musicians read the protest resolution aloud at their concerts, to which the state reacted by banning or calling off the performances.
Quelle: Robert-Havemann-Gesellschaft
Toni Krahl, singer of the band “City”. Krahl was one of the initiators of the protest resolution of 18 September 1989.
Quelle: picture-alliance/ZB/Günter Gueffroy
First signatories of the protest resolution of 18 September 1989: members of “Silly”, a cult band from the late phase of the GDR.
Quelle: ullstein bild/Jazz Archiv Hamburg
First signatories of the protest resolution of 18 September 1989: Konrad “Conny” Bauer, a trombonist and key figure in the GDR’s jazz scene (bottom).
Quelle: Manfred Rinderspacher
The actor Ulrich Mühe reading from Walter Janka’s memoirs at the Deutsches Theater, 28 October 1989. In a political show trial in 1956 Janka had been sentenced to five years’ penitentiary. He wrote about the background to the case in his memoirs Schwierigkeiten mit der Wahrheit (“Difficulties with the Truth”).