Dare to imagine Bonn without the Hofgarten. Impossible isn’t it? This green space is more than just a park. It is a vital piece of Bonn’s history and culture. The Hofgarten in Bonn is right in the city’s heart. Rows of trees line either side.
In 1760 Prince-elector Clemens had a baroque garden planted here. It was right in front of the Electoral Palace. In 1818 it became property of the newly founded Bonn University.
For Bonn locals it is a local recreation area. For students it is a lawn for sunbathing. The Hofgarten has seen enormous demonstrations. In 1968 around 300000 opponents of the Emergency Acts occupied the city and the Hofgarten.
When Bonn was the capital from 1949 to 1999 the city often saw demonstrations. The Hofgarten became one of the most important meeting places. Many rallies and marches have occurred in Bonn. These events were not limited to the German student movement. They also included peace movement demonstrations in the 1960s and 1970s. On December 10 1963 about 30000 war invalids marched through the city. They wanted more government funding for themselves and others like them. In 1984 the Bonn police recorded 420 public meetings and marches.
Of all the Hofgarten events only four made it into the history books. On May 21 1968 more than 20000 demonstrators gathered. This was four weeks after activist Rudi Dutschke was shot in Berlin. They protested against civil rights infringements. These infringements were expected from the German Emergency Acts.
A journalist reported seeing a protest march stop at a red light. When the light turned green they trotted forward chanting Ho Ho Ho Chi Minh. Demonstrators converged at the Hofgarten. A sea of heads swayed among the trees. Red flags and anti-state of emergency banners waved. One banner said Democracy’s a no-go without the Communist Party. Another banner showed Rudi Dutschke like the head of Christ. Police estimated 25000 demonstrators. Organizers claimed 70000.
The peace demonstration on October 10 1981 had the motto Against the atomic threat. About 300000 people attended the final rally in the Hofgarten. They protested against NATO’s double resolution. Speakers included Heinrich Albertz Heinrich Böll Erhard Eppler Petra Kelly and Coretta Scott King. The following year demonstrations involved more than 500000 participants. This was during the NATO summit on the Beuel side of the Rhine. In 1983 another large demonstration took place in the Hofgarten. Around half a million people attended. Willy Brandt spoke against weapons of mass destruction. About 150000 demonstrators formed a human chain around the government district.
Regina Pacis a Madonna figure is above the entrance to the main building. She is a kind of patron saint of the Hofgarten. She survived World War II bombs almost unharmed. This was like a small miracle for the people of Bonn.
The Hofgarten is owned by the university. This has often led to arguments about its public use. The university now uses the area as a location. Since 2005 it has held an annual graduation ceremony here.
So as you stroll through the Hofgarten remember its past. It is a place of protest peace and even miracles. It is a space that belongs to everyone in Bonn.