Band across the country, several thousand people have joined the Easter marches of the peace movement. In cities like Hanover, Munich, Duisburg, Stuttgart, Leipzig and Berlin, demonstrators gathered on Saturday with flags and placards. The rallies were aimed, for example, against the Russian war in Ukraine and the planned billions in expenditure for the German armed forces.
“Our demands for peace and disarmament are more topical than ever, also with a view to the danger of a possible nuclear escalation,” said Kristian Golla from the Peace Cooperation Network. According to him, around 80 protests had been announced for Saturday, including in smaller towns.
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According to police estimates, around 1,300 people came together in Berlin. According to the police, there were 1,200 in Bremen, more than 500 in Hanover, almost 500 in Munich and around 400 in Jena. In Duisburg and Cologne, hundreds of demonstrators took part in the opening events of the three-day Rhine-Ruhr Easter March. Demonstrations also took place in other cities such as Stuttgart, Ulm and Mannheim.
The war in Ukraine must end and a “new security architecture from Lisbon to Vladivostok” must be created, according to the Peace Coordination’s Easter March appeal. To do this, Russia and Ukraine would have to conduct negotiations with both sides willing to compromise. Posters and banners read, for example, “No to war”, “Stop the arms mania”, “Negotiate! instead of risking World War 3” and “Those who supply weapons will reap war”. A large dove of peace was mounted on a car roof in Berlin. Some posters were directed against plans by the federal government to provide 100 billion euros for major defense policy projects.
“Pacifism at the expense of others is cynical”
This time, some of the demands of the peace movement caused discussions in advance. The motto “Creating peace without weapons” is currently an arrogance towards the people in Ukraine, said former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse (SPD) to the Bavarian radio. “Pacifism at the expense of others is cynical.”
Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens) told the newspapers of the Funke media group that pacifism is “a distant dream” at the moment. Russian President Vladimir Putin broke all the rules of international law. If the idea of the Easter marches is peace, one must be clear: “Peace can and will only come if Putin stops his war of aggression.” Need defended and who we have to support – also with weapons”.
The researcher Claudia Baumgart-Ochse spoke in the rbb-Inforadio for a differentiated view of the peace movement. The impulse to demonstrate for peace is initially a good thing, said Baumgart-Ochse from the Leibniz Institute Hessian Foundation for Peace and Conflict Research. However, she advised that you think carefully about who you are going out with, who is organizing it and what the reasons for the protest are. In some calls, she has the impression that Russian propaganda shines through.
“Alternative Easter March”
Former EKD Chair Margot Käßmann defended the peace demonstrations. It is not fair to accuse people who have been working for peace for decades of being on the side of Russia, the theologian told broadcaster NDR Info. From their point of view, more arms deliveries would not lead to an end to the war. On the contrary: It could even escalate further.
Instead of “weapons down” it was called “weapons now” – the so-called alternative Easter march in Berlin.
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Image: Reuters
A second demonstration took place in Berlin parallel to the traditional Easter march. On Bebelplatz, among other things, Ukrainian flags were used to demonstrate against the Russian war of aggression. In a call, the campaign was described as an “alternative Easter march”. It was criticized that the Berlin Peace Coordination’s call for the traditional Easter march in the capital made no mention of Russian aggression and the right to self-defense. The greatest threat to peace comes from dictators and autocrats, it said. The demonstrators called for “Heavy weapons now!” on posters.
The first Easter marches had already taken place on Thursday and Friday. More demonstrations are planned. For example, the peace movement is calling for a rally in front of the Büchel Air Force Base in Rhineland-Palatinate on Easter Monday.