Republic Day (East Germany)

Republic Day
A banner in honor of the 40th anniversary of the GDR in 1989.
Observed by  GDR
Type State
Celebrations Fireworks, Concerts, Parades
Date October 7

Republic Day (German:Tag der Republik) was an official holiday in East Germany, celebrated annually on October 7th from 1949 to 1989. Republic Day commemorates the anniversary of the establishment of the German Democratic Republic on October 7, 1949. On Republic Day, the Government of the GDR awarded many people the National Award of the GDR.[1]

Background

The celebrations in 1969.

The day commemorates October 7, 1949, when the German Democratic Republic was constituted on the territory of the Soviet Occupation Zone, almost half a year after the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany after the adoption of the Basic Law on May 23, 1949.

Every year on this holiday, the military parade took place before the party and state leadership in Berlin and demonstrations by members of the working-class combat groups, FDJ members and working people were held in all districts and district capitals. The military parade took place at Karl-Marx-Allee in East Berlin between Alexanderplatz and Strausberger Platz. Since this military presence was in contrast to the Four Powers status, the military parades led regularly to protest marks of the Western victorious powers (see also: Berlin question). The last military parade took place in 1989. Also a fleet review of the Volksmarine also took place. On the occasion of the Day of the Republic, special stamps were issued every five years for the State Birthday of the GDR.

Since the 1970s, the day became more and more the people's holiday, without the demonstrations, but with folk festival character.

On Republic Day in 1977, violent clashes between the People's Police and young people took place on Alexanderplatz in Berlin. They shouted slogans like "Down with the GDR!" Or "Give Peace a Chance" and many of whom were arrested and sentenced.[2]

Celebrations in the GDR

A torchlight procession in the center of Berlin on the occasion of the 40th anniversary Republic Day.

The East German government has always held a Republic Day parade on Karl-Marx-Allee since it's 10th anniversary in 1959.The most prominent Republic Day celebrations have taken place in 1974 and 1989, at the 25th and 40th anniversaries respectively. The parade had been always led by the parade commander who had a billet of a Colonel General and the position of Chief of the Land Forces. From 1972, when that post was created, up to 1989, that was held by Col Gen Horst Stechbarth, who was the parade commander during those years. After his arrival and the report of the superintendent of the Friedrich Engels Military Academy, he took his post nearest the Massed Bands of the Military Music Service of the National People's Army and the Corps of Drums of the Central Band of the NPA.

At 10 am, after the arrival of state and political leaders, the bells ring and the bands sounded a fanfare, after which the parade commander had ordered the parade to present arms and eyes left as it rendered honors to the Minister of Defence, a position held by a General of the Army. As the bands were playing the Präsentiermarsch der Nationalen Volksarmee the PC and the Minister of Defense salute as their automobiles approached each other and the bands paused, with the former reporting of the readiness of the troops for the parade. The music was then resumed at the signal of the Drum Major of the Massed Bands and the Band Conductors, and the PC and the Minister first inspected the mobile column, then the bands and lastly the ground column. After the inspection, the vehicle of the parade commander returned to his first position as the Minister's vehicle stopped in order that he would depart the said vehicle and then proceed to the reviewing stand to inform the General Secretary of the SED and President of the Council of State on the readiness of the parade to march past.

See Also

References

  1. ↑ webmaster@verfassungen.de. "Gesetz über die Einführung der Feiertage "Tag der Befreiung" und "Tag der Republik" (1950)". www.verfassungen.de. Retrieved 2017-11-05. line feed character in |title= at position 71 (help)
  2. ↑ https://welcher-tag-ist-heute.org/feiertage/ddr-tag-der-republik
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