Gauck opens a place of remembrance: refugee stories at the gate to freedom

Gauck opens a place of remembrance: refugee stories at the gate to freedom

Yesterday, on June 19, 2025, the learning and remembrance site “Giessen Emergency Reception Camp” was opened in Gießen. A day that evoked both memories and emotions, not least due to the presence of Joachim Gauck, the former Federal President and contemporary witness of the GDR. He paused movingly at the memorial stone for the popular uprising of June 17, 1953 and gave a moving speech in which he mentioned his children, who left the GDR between 1987 and 1989. In his speech, Gauck asked fundamental questions about the meaning of freedom and love, which will guide the discussion about the exhibition. The camp, which was a central contact point for refugees and emigrants from the GDR from 1949 to 1989, also offered refuge for many displaced people from the East after the Second World War as well as refugees from countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iraq and Syria.

The opening attracted numerous representatives from politics, urban society, universities and contemporary witnesses. In addition to Gauck, Volker Bouffier, the former Prime Minister, also shared his childhood memories of the arrival of refugees from the GDR.

Insights into the escape stories

Particular attention was paid to the contribution of the young student Daniel Seibert, who presented escape stories as part of the Federal President's history competition. He invited two contemporary witnesses: Mohammad Sowaid, a Syrian refugee, and Elke Schlegel, a political prisoner who was ransomed in 1984. Elke Schlegel reported vividly about her experiences in the Hoheneck women's prison and the difficult conditions during her imprisonment.

These memories are part of a broader reappraisal of history, which will be dealt with as part of the new permanent exhibition at the emergency camp. The exhibition places a particular focus on the GDR and the significance of the camp. It sheds light on the fate of displaced persons and asylum seekers and includes topics from the years after the Second World War and reunification. In order to prepare teachers for this, an initial training course will take place on March 24, 2025 at the teachers' academy in Giessen, in which both the concept of the permanent exhibition and the educational program will be presented.

The historical context

The refugee movements from the GDR are a central issue that shapes the history of the division of Germany. Between 1949 and 1961, around 2.7 million people left the GDR for the Federal Republic, often for political and religious reasons or because of the miserable living conditions. Young, well-educated people in particular were looking for a better future in the West. The wall, which was built on August 13, 1961, made it impossible for people wanting to leave the country to cross the border and led to a critical situation in the GDR, which was characterized by strict controls and repression. The course of these refugee movements is complemented by the work of the memorial in Gießen, which acts as a key to remembering these painful events and wants to play an important role in coming to terms with the SED dictatorship.

Overall, the opening of the “Giessen emergency reception center” reflects not only the history of the division of Germany, but also the unbroken relevance of freedom and humanity, which is still present. A place that keeps memories alive and offers space for reflection and education.