By Frank Grobe
On August 13, 1961, the construction of the Berlin Wall cemented the division of Germany within Germany.
60 years ago today, the great socialist lie ‘No one intends to build a wall’ finally flew up. At that time, the GDR regime of injustice knew no other way to help itself than to build a wall to prevent its citizens from fleeing the alleged socialist paradise.
It would take another 28 years before the last attempt to establish socialism in Germany failed in the long term. 60 years after the construction of the Wall and more than 32 years after reunification, we have a duty to learn from history and prevent its repetition.
An unjust state that cost the lives of many of its citizens
The GDR was a dictatorship, an unjust state that cost the lives of many of its citizens. Unfortunately, there are still politicians and parties in Hesse who cannot even bring themselves to call it an unjust state. This Berlin Wall, cynically referred to as an “anti-fascist protective wall,” not only cost the lives of at least 139 Germans. Rather, the wall represented oppression, lack of freedom, spying, state and ideological terror. The refugees only tried to escape socialism in order to live in freedom.
The day of the construction of the Wall 60 years ago is therefore not only a reminder to us to defend freedom on a daily basis. It is also a guide that shows us where it can lead if we do not fight every kind of extremism.
It also reminds us to name and prevent any form of spying and denunciation. The foundation stone against freedom and democracy, which was laid 60 years ago as an ‘anti-fascist protective wall’, must never be set again. Unfortunately, the other parliamentary groups in the state parliament could not bring themselves to approve a motion for a resolution by the AfD, which classified the GDR as an unjust state.
Instead, they have submitted their own, which attests to the GDR only a ‘dictatorship character’. When these groups speak solemn words today, they should remember them.
About the author: Dr. Frank Grobe is cultural policy spokesman for the AfD parliamentary group in the Hessian state parliament.
This article was first published by PHILOSOPHIA PERENNIS, our partner in EUROPEAN MEDIA COOPERATION.