At a historical site that stands for the massive restriction of freedom - the Bautzner Straße Dresden Memorial - pupils from Saxony, Poland and the Czech Republic will meet on 16 June 2023 to actively explore the concept of FREEDOM. In the detention centre, they can lay a giant graphic and find out what answers their peers gave to the question "What is freedom? Contemporary witness Jürgen Gottschalk will explain how young people in the GDR used mail art to try to overcome the narrow political and geographical boundaries. Those who like can creatively design a Mail Art postcard themselves.

Audio guides are available for anyone who wants to learn more about the historical site. In them, three former political prisoners of the Soviet occupation forces guide visitors through the basement prison. The audio guide "Good day! You are under arrest!" is designed as a walk-through radio play. As you walk through the historical rooms, you become part of the narrative yourself.

The stop-motion film "Der 17. Juni 1953 in Dresden. One Day - Five Perspectives" about the popular uprising, made by young people with a passion for history, is presented. With this film, they creatively make the causes and the course of the uprising tangible from five different perspectives.

The memorial is expecting a distinguished visitor on 16 June. The Prime Minister of Saxony, Michael Kretschmer, and the Saxon Minister of Culture, Christian Piwarz, will not miss the opportunity to personally welcome the committed young people and get to know their projects. The Saxon State Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship, Dr Nancy Aris, the historian Klaus-Rüdiger Mai and young people from Dresden will talk to the Minister President and discuss the question "Young people in resistance to dictatorships. What is freedom worth to me today?"

During the breaks, snacks, cakes and drinks will be provided.

Programme

Registration and information

Saxon State Chancellery, Department 23 A
Telephone: 0351 564-10462; e-mail: erinnerungskultur@sk.sachsen.de

Saxon pupils can be exempted from attending the conference. Travel costs will be covered. Please contact the Saxon State Chancellery for this purpose.

The event is organised by the Saxon State Chancellery in cooperation with the Saxon State Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, the Saxon State Commissioner for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship, the Bautzner Straße Dresden Memorial, Kultur Aktiv e.V. and Aktion Zivilcourage.