Joint appeal for 13 and 18 February 2012

With courage, respect and tolerance – Dresden nails its colours to the mast

The Mayor of Dresden, along with the parties on the city council, key figures in business and science, culture, sport, the unions and the churches, with the Jewish community and members of civil society, calls upon all the people of Dresden to stand up strong together on 13 and 18 February 2012.

In view of the history of our city we would like to commemorate the victims of National Socialism and the war in a dignified manner. At the same time, it is our duty on a daily basis to do our part in building a peaceful, civilised society.

Over the past few months we have discovered with horror the extent to which right-wing extremism has taken hold of Germany. Everyday racism and National Socialist slogans form a breeding-ground for terror and violence.

We will not let this pass unchallenged in Dresden. We are all responsible for our city and the society in which we live. Though we are all different, we are united in our advocacy of a democratic society. We support all the initiatives and organisations in our city which take action at this time and others: remembering what happened, working towards peace, democracy and human rights, and resisting right-wing extremism by peaceful, non-violent means.

We call upon everyone to act together: let us stand up firmly and in great number against these new supporters of that terrible old ideology.

We invite the people of Dresden and visitors to our city:

• to the human chain on 13 February 2012:
  opening event at 5 p.m. at the city hall, forming the chain at 6 p.m.
• and to the highly visible and audible joint rally on 18 February 2012