User:Minoo/Commemoration of February 13, 1945

left wing resistance against neo-Nazis and reluctant politicians
On the other hand, there were some initiatives, which found little resonance, because they were mostly initiated by left-wing extremists. Those initiatives were about bashing Nazis and showed little understanding for the victims of the air raids. They had slogans like: "No tears for krauts" and "Bomber Harris - do it again". Such slogans made it impossible for moderate citizens to participate. Those initiatives were not endorsed by the CDU, the dominating political party in Dresden and Saxony at the time. Thus the ruling party seemed to tolerate this increase of right-wing extremist symbolism.

The neo-Nazis did not find an official counterpart in Dresden until 2001. Then Ingolf Roßberg (FDP) became Lord Mayor. He invited clubs and associations for the first time to take coordinated action against right-wing extremist public events for the following year, and he supported the White Rose campaign. In addition, he appointed a commission of historians to determine the actual number of victims of the air raids on Dresden, and he also encouraged civic engagement through official action.

However, this was hindered by the Saxon CDU and Dresden citizens. According to a government statement by Kurt Biedenkopf before the Saxon state parliament, the Saxons are immune to right-wing extremism. This turned out to be a terrible misjudgment that continued to have an impact well into the 2010s. It gave a boost to right-wing extremist tendencies and blocked civic engagement against neo-Nazis.

Developement since 2010
Menschenkette Dresden 2011 (2).jpg

After various setbacks, the “Bündnis Dresden Nazifrei”-Alliance finally emerged in October 2009 from various civil movements, and anti-fascist groups against what was then the largest annual Nazi rally in Europe. The cooperation above party lines was achieved by the city councilor Christa Müller (CDU), who died in 2018. Müller made the cooperation possible against all opposition within her party.

In 2010, around 10,000 Dresden residents formed a human chain around the historic old town to shield it from neo-Nazis. An alliance of the municipality, churches, trade unions, political parties, business associations and other groups had called for this. Since then, this event has taken place annually.

In 2010 the Dresden Prize, an international peace prize, was donated. It is awarded annually on 13 February. The memorial "Stones of Incentive" in front of the southern portal of the Kreuzkirche was build 2010. It reminds of the Peace Forum in 1982.

Right-wing extremist activities have been pushed back. They no longer take place on February 13, but before or after this date with only a few 100 participants.

During the commemoration in 2011, however, there were again clashes between right-wing extremists and the police. A Protestant pastor from Jena who tried to mediate was arrested.

Various kinds of citizens' initiatives in Dresden offer their own commemorative events for the anniversaries of the air raids. Across national borders, in cooperation with the twin city Coventry, they help ensure that the German war guilt cannot be questioned.