Beneath this plaque lies a tale of defiance. It is a story of a small library that became a haven for dissent. This is the story of the Umwelt-Bibliothek.
From 1986 to 1990, this unassuming location served as the Umwelt-Bibliothek. It was more than just a library. It was a vital hub for East Germany’s opposition. Here in the basement of the Zionskirche parish hall activists gathered. They championed environmentalism peace and Third World causes.
Carlo Jordan, Oliver Kämper, Wolfgang Rüddenklau and Christian Halbrock founded it. They drew inspiration from Poland’s Flying Universities. They had a vision. Pastor Hans Simon provided them with two basement rooms. These rooms became a sanctuary. The Umwelt-Bibliothek collected banned books and magazines. These publications covered human rights and environmental issues. It became a place for secret meetings. Dissidents planned and plotted here. Opposition figures gave lectures. Artists performed concerts. Films were screened.
The Umwelt-Bibliothek produced the samizdat journal Umweltblätter. Later it was named telegraph. This journal became the most important voice of the East German opposition. The Umwelt-Bibliothek was also a printing press. It was the only one not controlled by the state. Here they printed Grenzfall. This was another opposition publication.
In November 1987, the Stasi raided the library. This was called “Aktion Falle”. Several employees were arrested. This event brought international attention to the Umwelt-Bibliothek. Western media reported on the raid. This gave the activists unprecedented publicity. Solidarity poured in from across East Germany. The arrested activists were soon released without charge. Till Böttcher, Bert Schlegel, Andreas Kalk, Bodo Wolff, Wolfgang Rüddenklau, Uta Ihlow and Tim Eisenlohr walked free. After the Stasi raid, the Umwelt-Bibliothek gained popularity. The regime tolerated it until the end of the DDR.
Internal conflict arose in 1988. There were disagreements about the future of the environmental movement. One group wanted to expand the library into a network. Another feared centralization and party-like structures. An informal Stasi employee fueled the conflict. A splinter group led by Carlo Jordan formed the Grön-Ökologisches Netzwerk Arche. They aimed to create their own network.
In 1989, activists participated in vigils and protests. The Umwelt-Bibliothek’s telegraph became a widely read publication. It was a crucial source of information.
After German reunification, employees participated in a hunger strike. They fought for the right to access Stasi files. The goal was to ensure transparency.
In 1990, the Umwelt-Bibliothek left the Zionskirche parish. They briefly occupied a building on Lottumstraße. Then they moved to Schliemannstraße in Prenzlauer Berg. To operate legally, they became a registered association. From 1991, they housed the Matthias Domaschk Archive. This archive documents opposition movements in the DDR. They organized and participated in various activities. These included protesting the war in Chechnya and supporting the Zapatistas in Mexico.
In December 1998, the Umwelt-Bibliothek closed due to lack of funds. Its holdings went to the Robert Havemann Society and the Umweltbibliothek of the Grüne Liga.
Today, the Umwelt-Bibliothek’s journal, telegraph, is still published. The spirit of resistance and the pursuit of truth lives on. This plaque serves as a reminder of the power of words. It is a testament to the courage of those who fought for change. They challenged the status quo and helped bring down a regime. The Umwelt-Bibliothek stands as a symbol of freedom and the enduring quest for a better world.