Border stories: How churches in the GDR preserved memories

Border stories: How churches in the GDR preserved memories

In Thuringia, specifically in Behrungen, people today look back on the painful memories of the GDR era. Here, on the former German-German border, history is kept alive. Martin Montag, a former Catholic priest, has taken on this task and is documenting the stories of the people who lost their lives trying to flee the GDR. A tragic case is that of Karlheinz Fischer, who died in a mine detonation on March 28, 1971. Montag remembers: “The silence when crossing the border was unforgettable.” In the GDR, freedom of expression was severely restricted, but the church was often a safe haven for critical thoughts.

“Remembering this past is essential,” emphasizes Montag. And he is not alone in his commitment. The Thuringia Citizens' Committee in Zella-Mehlis remembers over 1,200 deaths at the border. The journalist and cultural advisor Hans Friedrich from the Rhön-Grabfeld district is also committed to remembrance work. His goal is to educate school classes about the conditions of the time.

An open-air museum for history

As part of this work of remembrance, historical sites on the former inner-German border have found their place in the German-German open-air museum. Behrungen and Berkach in Thuringia and Rappershausen in Bavaria are central monument locations in the museum, which offer visitors an insight into the tragic history of division. The partnerships with organizations such as the Federal Border Guard and the “German Youth” Foundation underline the importance of these memorials thueringen.info.

The border strip itself is now valued as a natural monument and nature reserve, offers habitat for bats and is a place for reflection. Guided tours of the open-air museum area are available by appointment and invite you to soak up the memories.

Culture of remembrance in Germany

But why is remembering the past so important? The discussion about the German culture of remembrance is diverse. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, coming to terms with history remains a central challenge, especially with regard to the increase in group-related misanthropy. In order to prevent such repetitions of historical catastrophes, memory must not only be emotionally firmly anchored, but also rational and enlightening bpb.de.

It is up to us to continually reinterpret the lessons of history and link them to current social challenges. This is the only way memorials can be preserved as places of experience and knowledge and provide future generations with important messages. The constant confrontation with our own past is therefore a task for all of us.

In order to make clear the importance of this work of remembrance, it remains to be seen how Wolfgang Benz's new ideas about the future of memory will be received in the spring of 2025. What is clear, however, is that the voices from the past must not be silenced.