Gießen remembers: GDR refugees and their fight for freedom!

Gießen remembers: GDR refugees and their fight for freedom!

Over a period of 40 years, the Gießen emergency camp was an important point of contact for one in four GDR refugees. This place is currently being honored with a memorial that commemorates the difficult fates of many people. Henry Bäz and his wife Doris recently visited the memorial. Bäz, who fled the GDR in 1977, described his escape as a courageous step towards freedom, but one that was not without consequences for his family. His father lost his seat in the district parliament and his sister had to live with demotion. Despite all the difficulties, Bäz never regretted his decision. It was years before he could see his family again. ZDF reports that he and others are still submitting requests for help to find people who were in the camp at the time.

The Giessen emergency camp, which an estimated 900,000 people passed through between 1950 and 1990, was not just a transit point for refugees. Before the Berlin Wall was built, the camp was overcrowded; after the Wall was built, the number of arrivals fell dramatically. In its best times, the camp had space for 800 beds, with an occupancy of only 10 percent after 1961. The GDR state security constantly monitored the camp; Spies were used to gather information about the refugees.

Historical relevance and pedagogical perspectives

The memorial is not only intended to commemorate the escape, but also to provide knowledge about the history of the GDR and the emergency camps. Therefore, a first training course for teachers was organized, which will take place on March 24, 2025. It will be about the conception of the permanent exhibition about the GDR, which also addresses the coming to terms with the SED dictatorship and the fate of asylum seekers. The training offers various workshops and is designed to meet the needs of primary schools through to vocational schools. Teachers can register through the Hessen Teaching Academy and thus make an important contribution to the culture of remembrance.

The mass exodus from the GDR did not happen without reason. A number of people fled for political reasons and because of unsustainable living conditions. Between 1949 and 1990, around 4.5 million people dared to move to the West, which put enormous strain on the SED dictatorship. By the time the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 alone, the GDR had lost a sixth of its population. This wave of emigration led to tighter border controls and the criminalization of those fleeing the republic. According to Zeitzeuge Memorial, the escape was associated with considerable risks. Over 200 people died at the inner-German border, many of them dying while trying to escape.

The Giessen Memorial is more than just a place of remembrance. It offers the opportunity to understand the complex history of the escape from the GDR and gives us the chance to learn from past mistakes. At a time when the topic of migration is once again highly topical, it makes sense to take a look back. People's stories, like Henry Bäz's, are reminders of the urge for freedom and the price that many had to pay for it.

For further information about the memorial and upcoming events, the website of the Hessian State Center can be visited.