Dresden’s Gedenkstätte 13. Februar. What does it represent? It marks a tragic and controversial moment in the city’s history. This memorial commemorates the victims of the World War II bombings.
The Gedenkstätte 13. Februar serves as a place for remembrance. It allows citizens to reflect on the events of February 13, 1945. On that day Allied forces began a three-day bombing raid on Dresden.
The bombings killed as many as 25000 people. Firestorms swept through the city centre. These events traumatized many Dresdeners. They led to a unique culture of remembrance.
After the war annual commemorations began. These events took place on or near the date of the bombings. Initially the destruction was exploited politically by the Nazi regime. Joseph Goebbels’ propaganda ministry played a key role.
After 1945 political exploitation continued in various forms. In the Soviet occupation zone and later in East Germany state-sponsored commemorations began in 1946. Dresden was one of the first German cities to do so.
Early commemorations emphasized the destruction provoked by fascist criminals. The political weakness of the German people was also blamed. The Soviet military administration directed that the remembrance should not have a mournful character.
Churches largely took over the commemorations. Traditionally the bells of all Dresden churches ring at 9:50 pm on February 13. From the 1960s blame was increasingly placed on the Western Allies.
The bombing raids were portrayed as lacking military targets or strategic importance. Max Seydewitz a former Saxon Prime Minister promoted a false claim. He alleged that German-American owners of Villa San Remo guided allied air fleets to Dresden.
The German guilt for the war German terror attacks and the Holocaust were insufficiently considered. Their potential military necessity was also ignored. Only after the political changes in 1989 did city representatives address the past more intensely.
Starting in 1981 youth groups from the East German peace movement began independent commemorations. They distributed leaflets calling for a candle action in front of the Frauenkirche ruins. This action protested against increasing militarization.
The youths channeled their efforts into the Kreuzkirche. The Peace Forum on February 13 became a highlight of the Swords to Ploughshares movement. Since 2010 the Steine des Anstoßes memorial has commemorated this.
Until 2015 official ceremonies took place at the Heidefriedhof. For a time right-wing extremists were excluded from these ceremonies. After entering the Saxon parliament the NPD was allowed to participate.
In 1990 Holocaust denier David Irving spoke in Dresden. He called the Allied air raids genocide. This boosted the Neonazi scene in East Germany. From 1992 right-wing extremists used the annual commemorations for propaganda.
In 2000 the Junge Landsmannschaft Ostdeutschland organized a Trauermarsch. By 2005 about 6500 right-wing extremists demonstrated. In 2010 about 6500 people participated but were blocked by counter-demonstrators.
Around 2000 initiatives emerged against right-wing extremism. However they received little support initially. The CDU party seemed to tolerate right-wing symbolism. State opposition to the Neonazi exploitation of Dresden’s destruction only began in 2001.
Ingolf Roßberg the new mayor invited associations to coordinate against right-wing events. He supported the Aktion Weiße Rose. A commission was created to determine the actual number of victims.
In 2010 about 10000 Dresdners formed a human chain around the inner city. This symbolized shielding the city from Neonazis. Since then the Arbeitsgruppe 13. Februar organizes the human chain annually.
In that year sit-in blockades prevented the Neonazi march. Dresden citizens offer various memorial events. They cooperate with Coventry to ensure German war guilt is not questioned. In 2010 the Dresden Prize was established as an international peace prize.
The Bündnis Dresden Nazifrei invites people to the Mahngang Täterspuren. It shows important sites and events of Dresden under the Third Reich. In 2024 13000 people came to the human chain.