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171-585: The demonstration originated in " Black Ribbon Day " protests held in the western cities in the 1980s. It marked the 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , in which Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Romania were (as " spheres of influence ") divided between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany . The Soviet-Nazi pact led to the outbreak of World War II in September 1939 and

342-623: A "Gang of Four": a group of inflexible hardliners unwilling to make reforms. According to White House experts Philip Zelikow and Condoleezza Rice , Gorbachev looked to Communist leaders in Eastern Europe to follow his example of perestroika and glasnost. They argue: Western analysts, according to Zelikow and Rice, believed in 1989 that Communism was still secure in East Germany: Honecker felt betrayed by Gorbachev in his German policy and ensured that official texts of

513-709: A "Western myth", while in Russian history textbooks , Soviet atrocities are either altered to portray the Soviets positively or omitted entirely. As a result, Western commentators have widely accused Russia of historical negationism . Vladimir Putin 's government has vehemently attacked Black Ribbon Day, and the Russian government delegation walked out when the OSCE adopted the Vilnius Declaration in support of

684-484: A 2019 resolution , the European Parliament described the date of 23 August as important in pushing back against a Russian "information war waged against democratic Europe." In 2022 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the remembrance day's importance in standing against " Russia's illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine ." Both the date of 23 August as a remembrance day and

855-648: A center-left coalition, finally assured German Chancellor Helmut Kohl that Honecker would be leaving the embassy in Moscow. Reportedly against his will, Honecker was ejected from the embassy on 29 July 1992 and flown to Berlin's Tegel Airport , where he was arrested and detained in Moabit Prison. By contrast, his wife Margot travelled on a direct flight from Moscow to Santiago, Chile, where she initially stayed with her daughter Sonja. Honecker's lawyers unsuccessfully appealed for him to be released from detention in

1026-571: A collection of 2 million signatures to demand withdrawal of the Red Army from Lithuania. The Communist Party of Lithuania was deliberating the possibility of splitting off from the Communist Party of the Soviet Union . On 8 August 1989, Estonians attempted to amend election laws to limit voting rights of new immigrants (mostly Russian workers). This provoked mass strikes and protests by Russian workers. Moscow gained an opportunity to present

1197-896: A commission of the Supreme Soviet of the Lithuanian SSR announced that the occupation in 1940 was a direct result of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and therefore illegal. It was the first time that an official Soviet body challenged the legitimacy of the Soviet rule. In the light of glasnost and perestroika , street demonstrations had been increasingly growing in popularity and support. On 23 August 1986, Black Ribbon Day demonstrations were held in 21 western cities including New York , Ottawa , London , Stockholm , Seattle , Los Angeles , Perth , and Washington, DC to bring worldwide attention to human rights violations by

1368-461: A court (at the time all three Baltic states had amended their constitutions giving their Supreme Soviets the right to veto national laws) and the right to promote their national languages to the level of the official state language (at the same time the project emphasised the leading role of the Russian language). The project also included laws banning "nationalist and chauvinist organisations", which could be used to persecute pro-independence groups in

1539-614: A day later these measures were also extended to travel to Bulgaria and Romania. East Germany was now not only behind the Iron Curtain to the West, but also cordoned off from most other Eastern bloc states. On 6–7 October 1989 the national celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the East German state took place with Gorbachev in attendance. To the surprise of Honecker and the other SED leaders in attendance, several hundred members of

1710-462: A day when Germans would no longer be separated by borders. This trip had been planned twice before, including September 1984, but was initially blocked by the Soviet leadership which mistrusted the special East-West German relationship, particularly efforts to expand East Germany's limited independence in the realm of foreign policy. In the late 1980s, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev introduced glasnost and perestroika , reforms to liberalise

1881-537: A double anniversary of both events. As on other days of mourning, Lithuanian flags are displayed outside all public buildings decorated with black ribbons. In 2011, the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism was officially commemorated in Poland for the first time by the liberal-conservative Civic Platform government during Poland's EU presidency . It has since been observed annually by

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2052-706: A given. We have to defend them, every day of the year." In 2017 the Estonian EU Presidency hosted the International Conference on the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Communism and Nazism in Tallinn , where the remembrance day was observed by all the ministers of justice of the European Union. On the occasion of the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism in 2018, eight EU countries signed

2223-547: A group of human rights activists and former political prisoners from Central and Eastern Europe during a conference organised by the Czech Government , and was formally designated by the European Parliament in 2008/2009 as "a Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, to be commemorated with dignity and impartiality"; it has been observed annually by

2394-730: A home in his vicarage. This drew immediate condemnation and later demonstrations against the church for assisting the Honeckers, given they had both discriminated against Christians who did not conform with the SED leadership's ideology. Aside from a stay at a holiday home in Lindow in March 1990 that lasted only one day before protests swiftly brought it to an end, the couple resided at the Holmer residence until 3 April 1990. The couple then moved into

2565-409: A joint statement on "the continued investigation of crimes committed by the communist regime via national law enforcement agencies and the intensification of transnational cooperation in this area." The governments of Poland, Romania, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia released a joint statement in 2019 that called upon "the governments of all European countries to provide both moral and material support to

2736-601: A judicial inquiry against him on charges of high treason, abuses of confidence and embezzlement to the serious disadvantage of socialist property (the charge of high treason was dropped in March 1990). As a result, Honecker was placed under house arrest for a month. Following the lifting of his house arrest, Honecker and his wife Margot were forced to vacate their apartment in the Waldsiedlung housing area in Wandlitz , exclusively used by senior SED party members, after

2907-587: A liberalisation toward culture and art. While 1973 brought the World Festival of Youth and Students to East Berlin , soon dissident artists such as Wolf Biermann were expelled and the Ministry for State Security raised its efforts to suppress political resistance. Honecker remained committed to the expansion of the Inner German border and the " order to fire " policy along it. During his time in

3078-723: A member of the Spartacus League 's children's group in Wiebelskirchen. Aged 14 he entered the KJVD, the Young Communist League of Germany , for whom he later served the organisation's leader of Saarland from 1931. Honecker did not find an apprenticeship immediately after leaving school, but instead worked for a farmer in Pomerania for almost two years. In 1928 he returned to Wiebelskirchen and began

3249-445: A moral, and not just political question: reclaiming independence would be restoration of historical justice and liquidation of Stalinism. It was an emotional event, strengthening the determination to seek independence. The protest highlighted that the pro-independence movements, established just a year before, became more assertive and radical: they shifted from demanding greater freedom from Moscow to full independence. In December 1989,

3420-564: A need for reforms, Gorbachev warned Honecker that "He who is too late is punished by life", yet Honecker maintained that "we will solve our problems ourselves with socialist means". Protests outside the reception at the Palace of the Republic led to hundreds of arrests in which many were brutally beaten by soldiers and police. Being able to have an apartment, a job, clothes to put on, something to eat, and not having to sleep under bridges: that

3591-534: A number of local gatherings and protests took place. In Vilnius, about 5,000 people gathered in the Cathedral Square , holding candles and singing national songs, including Tautiška giesmė . Elsewhere, priests held masses or rang church bells. Leaders of the Estonian and Latvian Popular Fronts gathered on the border between their two republics for a symbolic funeral ceremony, in which a giant black cross

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3762-476: A political power struggle that led, with support of Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev , to him replacing Walter Ulbricht as General Secretary of the SED and chairman of the National Defence Council. Under his command, the country adopted a programme of "consumer socialism" and moved towards the international community by normalising relations with West Germany and also becoming a full member of

3933-495: A program of "consumer socialism", which resulted in a marked improvement in living standards already the highest among the Eastern bloc countries – though still far behind West Germany . More attention was placed on the availability of consumer goods, and the construction of new housing was accelerated, with Honecker promising to "settle the housing problem as an issue of social relevance". His policies were initially marked by

4104-530: A public protest, claiming the existence of an arrest warrant meant the Soviet Union was breaching international law by admitting Honecker. The initial Soviet reaction was that Honecker was now too ill to travel and was receiving medical treatment after a deterioration of his health. He underwent further surgery the following month. On 11 December 1991 the Honeckers sought refuge in the Chilean Embassy in Moscow, while also applying for political asylum in

4275-459: A significant audience in the Baltics. Sharp criticism of Baltic Communist Parties was interpreted as signalling that Moscow would attempt to replace their leadership. However, almost immediately after the broadcast, the tone in Moscow began to soften and the Soviet authorities failed to follow up on any of their threats. Eventually, according to historian Alfred Erich Senn , the pronouncement became

4446-627: A source of embarrassment. President of the United States George H. W. Bush and chancellor of West Germany Helmut Kohl urged peaceful reforms and criticised the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. On 31 August, the Baltic activists issued a joint declaration to Javier Pérez de Cuéllar , Secretary-General of the United Nations . They claimed to be under threat of aggression and asked for an international commission to be sent to monitor

4617-629: A three-room living quarters within the Soviet military hospital in Beelitz . Here, doctors diagnosed a malignant liver tumour following another re-examination. Following German reunification , prosecutors in Berlin issued a further arrest warrant for Honecker in November 1990 on charges that he gave the order to fire on escapees at the Inner German border in 1961 and had repeatedly reiterated that command (most specifically in 1974). However, this warrant

4788-553: A traineeship as a roofer with his uncle, but quit to attend the International Lenin School in Moscow and Magnitogorsk after the KJVD handpicked him for a course of study there. There, sharing a room with Anton Ackermann , he studied under the cover name "Fritz Malter". In 1930, aged 18, Honecker entered the KPD, the Communist Party of Germany . His political mentor was Otto Niebergall , who later represented

4959-428: A valid German passport . Mikhail Gorbachev agreed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 25 December 1991 and gave all his powers to Russian president Boris Yeltsin . Russian authorities had long been keen on expelling Honecker, against the wishes of Gorbachev, and the new government now demanded that he leave the country or else face deportation. In June 1992, Chilean President Patricio Aylwin , leader of

5130-621: Is officially observed by Ukraine. On Black Ribbon Day in 2022, the Ukrainian government compared Stalin and Hitler to Vladimir Putin . Since 2019, the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism has been observed by the city of London . The Mayor of London , Sadiq Khan , noted that "now more than ever we must show our commitment to fighting extremism, authoritarianism and intolerance in all its forms." Erich Honecker Erich Ernst Paul Honecker ( German: [ˈeːʁɪç ˈhɔnɛkɐ] ; 25 August 1912 – 29 May 1994)

5301-647: Is one of the two official remembrance days or observances of the European Union , alongside Europe Day . Under the name Black Ribbon Day it is an official remembrance day of Canada . The European Union has used both names alongside each other. The remembrance day has its origins in Cold War -era protests in Western countries against the Soviet Union that gained prominence in the years leading up to

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5472-657: Is our duty to teach the younger generations the truth of our recent past so that it will never be repeated again." Canadian refugee communities were instrumental in establishing Black Ribbon Day in Canada in 1986 and became the inspiration for the Baltic Way during the Revolutions of 1989 . In 2009, the House of Commons of Canada unanimously adopted 23 August as Black Ribbon Day, the national day of remembrance in Canada of

5643-646: Is returning "war, persecution, and illegal occupation" to Europe with his invasion of Ukraine. The remembrance day has been officially observed by the institutions of the European Union since 2009, especially by the European Parliament , the European Commission and the Council of the European Union . In some countries, the remembrance day has been formally adopted by local law (sometimes with slightly different names), whereas in other countries, commemoration has taken place based on its proclamation by

5814-553: Is unclear when and by whom the idea of a human chain was advanced. It appears that the idea was proposed during a trilateral meeting in Pärnu on 15 July. An official agreement between the Baltic activists was signed in Cēsis on 12 August. Local Communist Party authorities approved the protest. At the same time several different petitions, denouncing Soviet occupation, were gathering hundreds of thousands of signatures. The organisers mapped out

5985-588: The 2020 Belarusian protests . Alexander Lukashenko 's Belarusian government said they sent military helicopters to "stop" balloons sent by Freedom Way protesters. The Council of the European Union stated on Black Ribbon Day in 2020 that "we commemorate those who fell victim to totalitarian regimes and remember the EU values our society is built on: human dignity, freedom and fundamental rights". EU Commission Vice-President for Values and Transparency Věra Jourová and Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders stated on

6156-625: The Baltic Way in 1989, a historical event during the revolutions of 1989 . Two million people joined their hands to form a human chain, to protest against the continued Soviet occupation. The European Public Hearing on Crimes Committed by Totalitarian Regimes was organised by the Slovenian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the European Commission in April 2008. It aimed at improving knowledge and public awareness about totalitarian crimes. The date of 23 August

6327-584: The Bundestag to research and document the communist dictatorship in East Germany . In 2020 the remembrance day was officially commemorated by the German federal government and the German presidency of the European Union. The remembrance day is also observed by various state governments, such as the state government of Brandenburg and local government authorities. It is also observed by, for example,

6498-660: The CDU -affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation or the German chapter of the civil rights organisation Memorial . The remembrance day is also commemorated by the European Network Remembrance and Solidarity , a Warsaw-based international organisation established by Germany, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia and since also joined by Romania, that documents the totalitarian regimes in Europe and commemorates their victims and resistance to totalitarian regimes. In 2011,

6669-604: The Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union published a project of new policy regarding the union republics in Pravda . However, this project offered few new ideas: it preserved Moscow's leadership not only in foreign policy and defense, but also in economy, science, and culture. The project made a few cautious concessions: it proposed the republics have the right to challenge national laws in

6840-594: The Congress of People's Deputies accepted and Mikhail Gorbachev signed the report by Yakovlev's commission condemning the secret protocols of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact. In February 1990, the first free democratic elections to the Supreme Soviets took place in all three Baltic states and pro-independence candidates won majorities. On 11 March 1990, within seven months of the Baltic Way, Lithuania became

7011-723: The Czech Senate from 2 to 3 June 2008, hosted by the Senate Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions, under the auspices of Alexandr Vondra , Deputy Prime Minister of the Czech Republic for European Affairs. On 23 September 2008, 409 members of the European Parliament signed a declaration on the proclamation of 23 August as European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism. The declaration pointed out: "The mass deportations, murders, kleptocracies and enslavements committed in

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7182-542: The European Union as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism and also referred to as the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes , is an international day of remembrance for victims of totalitarianism regimes, specifically Stalinist , communist , Nazi and fascist regimes. Formally recognised by the European Union ,

7353-702: The London School of Economics in 1984 and the Olympic Order from the IOC in 1985. In September 1987, he became the first East German head of state to visit West Germany , where he was received with full state honours by West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl in an act that seemed to confirm West Germany's acceptance of East Germany's existence. During this trip he also journeyed to his birthplace in Saarland, where he held an emotional speech in which he spoke of

7524-654: The National Defence Council in 1971, Honecker was eventually also elected Chairman of the State Council (a post equivalent to that of president) on 29 October 1976. With this, Honecker reached the height of power within East Germany. From there on, he, along with Economic Secretary Günter Mittag and Minister of State Security Erich Mielke , made all key government decisions. Until 1989 the "little strategic clique" composed of these three men

7695-416: The National Defence Council , had both given the decisive order in 1961 for the construction of the Berlin Wall and also, at subsequent meetings, ordered the extensive expansion of the border fortifications around West Berlin and the barriers to the West so as to make any passing impossible. In addition, specifically at a May 1974 sitting of the National Defence Council, he had stated that the development of

7866-406: The Netherlands and from there oversaw KJVD's activities in Pfalz, Hesse and Baden-Württemberg. Honecker returned to the Saar in 1934 and worked alongside Johannes Hoffmann on the campaign against the region's re-incorporation into Germany. A referendum on the area's future in January 1935 however saw 90.73% vote in favour of reunifying with Germany. Like 4,000 to 8,000 others, Honecker then fled

8037-424: The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and some other countries, it is observed on 23 August. It symbolises the rejection of " extremism , intolerance and oppression " according to the European Union. The purpose of the Day of Remembrance is to preserve the memory of the victims of mass deportations and exterminations, while promoting democratic values to reinforce peace and stability in Europe. It

8208-436: The People's Chamber decided to put it to use as a sanatorium for the disabled. In any case, Honecker spent the majority of January 1990 in hospital after having the error of the tumour missed in 1989 corrected after the suspicion of cancer was confirmed. Upon leaving the hospital on 29 January he was re-arrested and held at the Berlin-Rummelsburg remand centre. However, on the evening of the following day, 30 January, Honecker

8379-410: The Revolutions of 1989 and that inspired the 1989 Baltic Way , a major demonstration where two million people joined their hands to call for an end to the Soviet occupation . Canadian and other Western communities of refugees from the Soviet Union were instrumental in establishing the remembrance day in 1986. It was proposed as an official European remembrance day by Václav Havel , Joachim Gauck and

8550-458: The Socialist Unity Party , as well as straining his relations with his former inmates. In later interviews and in his personal memoirs, Honecker falsified many of the details of his life during this period. Material from the East German State Security Service has been used to allege that, to be released from prison, Honecker offered the Gestapo evidence incriminating fellow imprisoned Communists, claimed he had renounced Communism "for good", and

8721-464: The Soviet Occupation Day on 25 February and declared 23 August the Day of Memory of Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. The leader of the social-liberal Liberal Party  in Norway, Trine Skei Grande , has called for the official commemoration of the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism in Norway, based on its adoption by the European Parliament and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Black Ribbon Day

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8892-523: The Soviet invasion and occupation of the Baltic countries in June 1940. The 1989 event was organised by the Baltic pro-independence movements: Rahvarinne of Estonia, the Tautas fronte of Latvia, and Sąjūdis of Lithuania, to draw global attention by demonstrating a popular desire for independence and showcasing solidarity among the three nations. It has been described as an effective publicity campaign, and an emotionally captivating and visually stunning scene. The event presented an opportunity for

9063-688: The human rights abuses committed by the East German government. However, the proceedings were abandoned, as Honecker was suffering from terminal liver cancer . He was freed from custody to join his family in exile in Chile, where he died in May 1994. Honecker was born into a deeply Protestant family in Neunkirchen , in what is now Saarland , to Wilhelm Honecker (1881–1969), a coal miner and political activist, and his wife Caroline Catharine Weidenhof (1883–1963). The couple, married in 1905, had six children: Katharina (Käthe, 1906–1925), Wilhelm (Willi, 1907–1944), Frieda (1909–1974), Erich, Gertrud (1917–2010) and Karl-Robert (1923–1947). Erich, their fourth child,

9234-469: The institutions of the European Union since 2009. The European Parliament's 2009 resolution on European conscience and totalitarianism , co-sponsored by the European People's Party , the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe , The Greens–European Free Alliance , and the Union for Europe of the Nations , called for its implementation in all of Europe. The establishment of 23 August as an international remembrance day for victims of totalitarianism

9405-559: The secret protocol of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact . During Putinism , Russia has engaged in disinformation campaigns that included the denial or downplaying of Soviet crimes such as The Holodomor , deportations, the Gulag concentration camp system, massacres or war rape , attempts to deny or justify the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and Soviet wars of aggression against Poland, the Baltic states, Finland and other countries, and attempts to promote "a Soviet-era approach to World War II". State-controlled Russian media refer to Soviet crimes as

9576-423: The "Warsaw Declaration is a unanimous agreement of all EU member states that we have to do everything we can to prevent any totalitarian regime from reviving in all the countries making up one big European family." EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding stated on this occasion: Totalitarian regimes are the denial of human dignity and the violation of all fundamental rights of our societies built upon democracy and

9747-482: The 30th anniversary of the Baltic Way, a 30-mile (48 km) human chain called the Hong Kong Way was formed during the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests . On August 23, 2020, the Baltic states did a reenactment including Belarus for Belarusian activists. Documents recording the Baltic Way were added to UNESCO 's Memory of the World Register in 2009 in recognition of their value in documenting history. Black Ribbon Day The Black Ribbon Day , officially known in

9918-416: The Baltic activists to publicise the Soviet rule and position the question of Baltic independence not only as a political matter, but also as a moral issue. The Soviet authorities responded to the event with intense rhetoric, but failed to take any constructive actions that could bridge the widening gap between the Baltic republics and the rest of the Soviet Union. Seven months after the protest Lithuania became

10089-403: The Baltic states to the USSR, even though the protocol texts had been used as evidence during the Nuremberg Trials and had been published worldwide by Western scholars. Soviet propaganda also maintained that there was no occupation and that all three Baltic states had voluntarily joined the Union – the People's Parliaments had expressed people's will when they petitioned the Supreme Soviet of

10260-422: The Baltics, and a proposal to replace the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR of 1922 with a new unifying agreement, which would be part of the Soviet constitution. On 18 August, Pravda published an extensive interview with Alexander Nikolaevich Yakovlev , chairman of a 26-member commission set up by the Congress of People's Deputies to investigate the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols. During

10431-497: The Berlin Wall and subsequent deaths at the borders, but claimed he was "without juridical, legal or moral guilt". He blamed the escalation of the Cold War for the building of the Berlin Wall, saying the decision had not been taken solely by the East German leadership but all the Warsaw Pact countries that had collectively concluded in 1961 that a "Third World War with millions dead" would be unavoidable without this action. He quoted several West German politicians who had opined that

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10602-419: The Berlin Wall fell , and the SED swiftly lost control of the country. On 1 December, the Volkskammer deleted the provisions in the East German constitution giving the SED a monopoly on power, thus formally ending Communist rule in East Germany two months after Honecker's removal. In an effort to rehabilitate itself, the SED expelled Honecker and several other former officials two days later. He went on to join

10773-507: The Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe held in Helsinki in 1975, which attempted to improve relations between the West and the Eastern Bloc, and became a full member of the United Nations. These acts of diplomacy were considered Honecker's greatest successes in foreign politics. Honecker received additional high-profile personal recognitions including honorary doctorates of business administration from East Berlin's Humboldt University in 1976, Tokyo's Nihon University in 1981 and

10944-405: The Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism. In 2020 the official commemoration took place at the new Memorial to the Victims of Communism. In 2019 the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism was observed by the Government of Finland on the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The former President of Germany , Joachim Gauck ,

11115-399: The East Germans back home; however, starting on 11 September 1989, the Hungarians let them pass into Austria, telling their outraged East German counterparts that they were refugees and that international treaties on refugees took precedence. At the time, Honecker was sidelined through illness, leaving his colleagues unable to act decisively. He had been taken ill with biliary colic during

11286-443: The Estonian Central Council in Canada, the later chairman of the Central and Eastern European Council of Canada, proposed the name Black Ribbon Day and the concept of using black ribbons as a form of protest in 1985. He gathered representatives of affected communities and formed the International Black Ribbon Day Committee. David Somerville's idea of using the anniversary of the signing of the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact as Black Ribbon Day

11457-405: The Europe-wide remembrance day in 2020 that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact led "to the violation of the fundamental rights of millions of Europeans and it claimed the lives of millions more" and that "freedom from totalitarianism and authoritarianism is [...] a hard-won way of life that we should cherish every day." The Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau stated in 2020 that "we join people around

11628-448: The European Commission to make "the approval, denial or belittling of communist crimes " an EU-wide criminal offence. "Alongside the prosecution and punishment of criminals, the denial of every international crime should be treated according to the same standards, to prevent favourable conditions for the rehabilitation and rebirth of totalitarian ideologies," the foreign ministers wrote. Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg compared

11799-460: The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism was commemorated by the government of Hungary for the first time. A spokesman for the Fidesz party (itself a national-conservative and right-wing populist party) government said that "youth growing up in Western Europe should learn what it means to be a victim of Communism," adding that there is "little difference" between "national and international Socialism [...] both involve

11970-430: The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, was passed by a vote of 533–44 with 33 abstentions. On 3 July 2009, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) adopted the Vilnius Declaration , which supported 23 August as the international remembrance day for Victims of totalitarianism and urged its member states to increase awareness of totalitarian crimes. The resolution, which

12141-464: The Free German Youth — reckoned as the future vanguard of the party and nation — began chanting, "Gorby, help us! Gorby, save us!" . In a private conversation between the two leaders Honecker praised the success of the country, but Gorbachev knew that, in reality, it faced bankruptcy; East Germany had already accepted billions of dollars in loans from West Germany during the decade as it sought to stabilise its economy. Attempting to make Honecker accept

12312-655: The Government of Poland as an important official remembrance day of Poland. In Romania, 23 August is celebrated with some duality. Before the Romanian Revolution , it marked Liberation from Fascist Occupation Day , which is observed to commemorate the Soviet occupation of Romania , styled as "Liberation" by the communists . In 2011, the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of All Totalitarian Regimes

12483-561: The International Black Ribbon Day Committee, which opened up offices in Toronto. Markus Hess was elected president and David Somerville was elected vice president of the International Black Ribbon Day Committee. Under their leadership, the movement expanded annually and by 1991, demonstrations were held in 56 cities. In 1987, Black Ribbon Day protests spread to the Baltic countries and culminated in

12654-847: The KPD in the Reichstag. After returning from Moscow in 1931 following his studies at the International Lenin School , he became the leader of the KJVD in the Saar region. After the Nazi seizure of power in 1933 , Communist activities within Germany were only possible undercover; the Saar region however still remained outside the German Reich under a League of Nations mandate. Honecker was arrested in Essen , Germany but soon released. Following this he fled to

12825-657: The Party Security Secretary he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961 and also a proponent of the " order to fire " along the Inner German border . While Ulbricht had replaced the state's command economy with, firstly the " New Economic System ", then the Economic System of Socialism , as he sought to improve the country's failing economy, Honecker declared

12996-532: The Polish Presidency of the European Union organised a conference on the occasion of the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. The EU presidency cited the Justice and Home Affairs Council conclusions of 10 June and the EU's Stockholm Programme , which emphasises that "remembrance of shared history is necessary to understand contemporary Europe." European officials adopted

13167-482: The Russian state-controlled propaganda that distorts history, spreads conspiracy and punishes those who oppose it. We will continue with determination our work to counter disinformation. And we will ensure that those who stood against totalitarianism will not be forgotten." On August 22nd 2023, in commemoration of Black Ribbon Day, European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders said Russian President Vladimir Putin

13338-629: The SED Politbüro realised this was a serious blunder and made plans to get rid of him. As unrest visibly grew, large numbers began fleeing the country through the West German embassies in Prague and Budapest , as well as over the borders of the "socialist brother" states. Each month saw tens of thousands more exit. On 3 October 1989 East Germany closed its borders to its eastern neighbours and prevented visa-free travel to Czechoslovakia;

13509-543: The SED Central Committee planned for the end of November 1989 was pulled forward a week, with the most urgent item on the agenda now being the composition of the Politburo. Krenz and Mielke attempted by telephone on the night of 16 October to win other Politburo members over to remove Honecker. At the beginning of the session on 17 October, Honecker asked his routine question of "Are there any suggestions for

13680-592: The SED's youth organisation, the Free German Youth , in 1946 and serving as the group's chairman until 1955. As the Security Secretary of the SED Central Committee, he was the prime organiser of the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961 and, in this function, bore administrative responsibility for the " order to fire " along the Wall and the larger inner German border . In 1970, Honecker initiated

13851-602: The School of the Soviet Communist Party at Ulbricht's request. During this period he witnessed the 20th Congress of the Soviet Communist Party in person, where its First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev denounced Joseph Stalin . After returning to East Germany in 1958, Honecker became a fully-fledged member of the Politburo, taking over responsibility for military and security issues. As

14022-513: The Soviet Union to be admitted into the Union. The Baltic states claimed that they were forcefully and illegally incorporated into the Soviet Union. Popular opinion was that the secret protocols proved that the occupation was illegal. Such an interpretation of the Pact had major implications for the Baltics' public policy. If Baltic diplomats could link the Pact and the occupation, they could claim that

14193-469: The Soviet Union military assistance in case it decided to use force and break up the demonstration. On 15 August 1989, in response to worker strikes in Estonia, Pravda , the official daily newspaper of the Soviet Union, published sharp criticism of "hysteria" driven by "extremist elements" pursuing selfish "narrow nationalist positions" against the greater benefit of the entire Soviet Union. On 17 August,

14364-513: The Soviet Union under Stalin would pave the way for the most brutal war to this day, leading to many years of fear, horror and pain for the victims of these regimes," stating that the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance for the victims of all totalitarian and authoritarian regimes is a reminder that we must not take "dignity, freedom, democracy, the rule of law and human rights" for granted, and that "peace, democracy and fundamental rights are not

14535-656: The Soviet Union, especially those concerning perestroika , could no longer be published or sold in East Germany. One month after the 1989 Polish legislative election in which Lech Wałęsa and the Solidarity Citizens' Committee unexpectedly won 99 out of 100 seats, at the Warsaw Pact summit on 7–8 July 1989 in Bucharest, the Soviet Union reaffirmed its shift from the Brezhnev Doctrine of

14706-484: The Soviet Union. Despite an offer of help from North Korea , Honecker instead reached out to the Chilean government under Christian Democrat Patricio Aylwin . Under Honecker's rule, East Germany had granted many Chileans exile following the military coup of 1973 by Augusto Pinochet . In addition his daughter Sonja was married to a Chilean. Chilean authorities, however, stated he could not enter their country without

14877-558: The Soviet Union. In 1987, Black Ribbon Day protests were held in 36 cities including Vilnius , Lithuania. Protests against the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact were also held in Tallinn and Riga in 1987. In 1988, for the first time, such protests were sanctioned by the Soviet authorities and did not end in arrests. The activists planned an especially large protest for the 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact in 1989. It

15048-407: The Soviet rule in the republics had no legal basis and therefore all Soviet laws had been null and void since 1940. Such a position would automatically terminate the debate over reforming Baltic sovereignty or establishing autonomy within the Soviet Union – the states would have never belonged de jure to the union in the first place. This would open the possibility of restoring legal continuity of

15219-629: The UN, in what is considered one of his greatest political successes. As Cold War tensions eased in the late 1980s with the advent of perestroika and glasnost —the liberal reforms introduced by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev —Honecker refused all but cosmetic changes to the East German political system . He cited the consistent hardliner attitudes of Kim Il Sung , Fidel Castro and Nicolae Ceaușescu whose respective governments of North Korea , Cuba and Romania had been critical of reforms. Honecker

15390-795: The Union. On 19 November 2009, under a proposal of the centre-right Blue Coalition , the Bulgarian Parliament officially declared 23 August the Day of Commemoration of the Victims of the Crimes Committed by Communist and other Totalitarian Regimes and the remembrance day was officially observed for the first time in 2010. In 2011, the government of Croatia proposed that Croatia adopt the European Day of Remembrance of Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes, to be commemorated on 23 August. The government sent its recommendation for urgent parliamentary procedure, stating that

15561-483: The Warsaw Declaration for the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Totalitarian Regimes. The Warsaw Declaration vows that the suffering of victims of totalitarian regimes "will not sink into oblivion." The declaration states that "crimes of totalitarian regimes in Europe should be acknowledged and condemned, regardless of their type and ideology." Justice Minister Krzysztof Kwiatkowski said that

15732-474: The Warsaw Pact summit. He was shortly afterwards flown home to East Berlin. After an initial stabilisation in his health, he underwent surgery on 18 August 1989 to remove his inflamed gallbladder and, due to a perforation, part of his colon. According to the urologist Peter Althaus, the surgeons left a suspected carcinogenic nodule in Honecker's right kidney due to his weak condition, and also failed to inform

15903-473: The West." Later, after his fall, Honecker said of Otto von Habsburg in connection with the summer of 1989: "That this Habsburg drove the nail into my coffin." Now tens of thousands of media-informed East Germans made their way to Hungary, which was no longer ready to keep its borders completely closed or to oblige its border troops to use force of arms. A 1969 treaty required the Hungarian government to send

16074-414: The agenda?" Stoph replied, "Please, general secretary, Erich, I propose that a new item be placed on the agenda. It is the release of Comrade Erich Honecker as general secretary and the election of Comrade Egon Krenz in his place." Honecker reportedly calmly responded: "Well, then I open the debate". All those present then spoke, in turn, but none in favour of Honecker. Günter Schabowski even extended

16245-474: The border must continue, that lines of fire were warranted along the whole border and, as prior, the use of firearms was essential: "Comrades who have successfully used their firearms [are] to be praised". The charges were approved by the Berlin District Court on 19 October 1992 at the opening of the trial. On the same day, it was decided that the hearing of 56 charges would be postponed and

16416-405: The bus rides. On the day of the event, special radio broadcasts helped to coordinate the effort. Estonia declared a public holiday. The Baltic pro-independence movements issued a joint declaration to the world and European community in the name of the protest. The declaration condemned the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, calling it a criminal act, and urged declaration that the pact was "null and void from

16587-490: The chain physically possible, an attendance of approximately 200,000 people was required in each state. Video footage taken from airplanes and helicopters showed an almost continuous line of people across the countryside. "Matters have gone far. There is a serious threat to the fate of the Baltic peoples . People should know the abyss into which they are being pushed by their nationalistic leaders. Should they achieve their goals,

16758-418: The chain, designating specific locations to specific cities and towns to make sure that the chain would be uninterrupted. Free bus rides were provided for those who did not have other transportation. Preparations spread across the country, energising the previously uninvolved rural population. Some employers did not allow workers to take the day off from work (23 August fell on a Wednesday), while others sponsored

16929-467: The classic study on totalitarianism by Hannah Arendt , which developed "the scientific basis criteria to describe totalitarianism ", concluding that "both totalitarian systems (Stalinism and Nazism) are comparable and terrible", Pöttering said. Joseph Daul , chairman of the European People's Party group , stated: 2009 is a deeply symbolic year, since we celebrate both the 60th anniversary of

17100-429: The context of the acts of aggression by Stalinism and Nazism fall into the category of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Under international law, statutory limitations do not apply to war crimes and crimes against humanity." On 2 April 2009, a resolution of the European Parliament on European conscience and totalitarianism , calling, among other things, on its member states and other European countries to implement

17271-598: The creation of NATO and the beginnings of the cold war, and the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which ended it. This is why we have proposed to launch a Europe-wide day of remembrance which will help Europe reconcile its totalitarian legacy, both from the Nazis and the Communists. In December 2010, the foreign ministers of six EU member states affected by communist occupation and dictatorship called upon

17442-428: The crimes committed by totalitarian regimes, of promoting a shared memory of these crimes across the Union and underlining the significant role that this can play in preventing the rehabilitation or rebirth of totalitarian ideologies," and highlighted "the Europe-wide Day of Remembrance of the victims of the totalitarian regimes (23 August)," inviting "Members States to consider how to commemorate it." On 23 August 2011,

17613-470: The denial of communist crimes to the denial of Nazi crimes and said, "there is a fundamental concern here that totalitarian systems be measured by the same standard." On 10 June 2011, the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council , that is, the justice and home affairs ministers of all EU Member States, adopted conclusions stating, among other things, that it reaffirmed "the importance of raising awareness of

17784-457: The dismissal of Honecker to also include his posts in the State Council and as Chairman of the National Defence Council while childhood friend Günter Mittag moved away from Honecker. Mielke, hollering and pounding the conference room table with his fist pointed at Honecker and blamed him for almost all the country's current ills and threatened to publish compromising information that he possessed, if Honecker refused to resign. A ZDF documentary on

17955-509: The end of the pro-Axis government of Antonescu. On 8 August 2012, the Slovenian government adopted a resolution proclaiming 23 August European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of All Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes. The International Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism has been observed in Sweden since 2008, with participation from government members. Sweden was

18126-433: The events as an "inter-ethnic conflict" – it could then position itself as "peacemaker" restoring order in a troubled republic. The rising tensions in anticipation of the protest spurred hopes that Moscow would react by announcing constructive reforms to address the demands of the Baltic people. At the same time fears grew of violent clampdown. Erich Honecker from East Germany and Nicolae Ceaușescu from Romania offered

18297-505: The first Soviet republic to declare independence. After the Revolutions of 1989 , 23 August has become an official remembrance day both in the Baltic countries, in the European Union and in other countries, known as the Black Ribbon Day or as the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism . The Soviet Union denied the existence of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact 's secret protocols which had ceded control of

18468-536: The first Soviet state to declare independence. The independence of all three Baltic states was recognised by most western countries by the end of 1991. This protest was one of the earliest and longest unbroken human chains in history. Similar human chains were later organised in many East European countries and regions of the USSR and, more recently, in Taiwan ( 228 Hand-in-Hand Rally ) and Catalonia ( Catalan Way ). On

18639-636: The first country to observe the remembrance day officially. Albania officially observed the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism in 2019; President Ilir Meta noted that Stalinism and Nazism were "two devastating ideologies of the last century that caused thousands of innocent victims in our country. For 45 years, Albania became the North Korea of Europe. Thousands of Albanians were killed, imprisoned, and deported. Freedom, human rights, democracy and pluralism were values they believed in and for which they sacrificed their lives. It

18810-570: The first gap in the so-called Iron Curtain , through which later several thousand East Germans quickly fled in hopes of reaching West Germany by way of Austria. But with the mass exodus at the Pan-European Picnic in August 1989 (which was based on an idea by Otto von Habsburg to test Gorbachev's reaction to the opening of the border), the subsequent hesitant behaviour of the Socialist Unity Party of East Germany and

18981-559: The following day that about 700,000 Estonians and 1,000,000 Lithuanians joined the protests. The Latvian Popular Front estimated an attendance of 400,000. Prior to the event, the organisers expected an attendance of 1,500,000 out of the about 8,000,000 inhabitants of the three states. Such expectations predicted 25–30% turnout among the native population. According to the official Soviet numbers, provided by TASS, there were 300,000 participants in Estonia and nearly 500,000 in Lithuania. To make

19152-637: The following year was named as a candidate member of the Politbüro of the SED's Central Committee. As President of the Free German Youth movement, he organised the inaugural "Deutschlandtreffen der Jugend" in East Berlin in May 1950 and the 3rd World Festival of Youth and Students in 1951, although the latter was beset with organisational problems. During the internal party unrest following

19323-697: The formation of the SED, the Socialist Unity Party , in April 1946 through a merger of the KPD and SPD , Honecker swiftly became a leading party member and took his place in the party's Central Committee . On 7 October 1949, the German Democratic Republic was formed with the adoption of a new constitution , establishing a political system similar to that of the Soviet Union . Within the state's socialist single party government, Honecker determinedly resumed his political career and

19494-425: The group was still undecided until well into the summer months, as he had yet to face a party process. This ended in a reprimand due to his "undisciplined conduct" in fleeing from prison at the start of the year, an action which was debated upon, potentially jeopardising the other (communist) inmates. In 1946, Honecker became the co-founder of the Free German Youth (FDJ), whose chairmanship he also undertook. After

19665-544: The holding of public demonstrations glorifying the Nazi or Stalinist past." After the European Parliament had proclaimed the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering , highlighted the insufficient attention given to Soviet totalitarianism and Soviet war crimes , and thanked the governments of Lithuania , Latvia and Estonia for their efforts to better inform Western Europe. Pöttering brought up

19836-499: The importance of the European Day of Remembrance for the Victims of Stalinism and Nazism. In her statement on the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism in 2022, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that "the painful memory of the past is not just a distant recollection, but has found an echo in Russia's illegal and unjustified war against Ukraine. Today more than ever, we stand united against

20007-480: The independent states that had existed during the interwar period. Claiming that no Soviet laws had legal power in the Baltics would also cancel the need to follow the Constitution of the Soviet Union and other formal secession procedures. In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, tensions were rising between the Baltics and Moscow. Lithuanian politician Romualdas Ozolas initiated

20178-576: The insistence of the regime's number-two-man, Egon Krenz , a public statement was issued that called for "suggestions for attractive socialism". Over the following days Krenz worked to secure himself the support of the military and the Stasi and arranged a meeting between Gorbachev and Politburo member Harry Tisch , who was in Moscow, to inform the Kremlin about the now-planned removal of Honecker; Gorbachev reportedly wished them good luck. The sitting of

20349-423: The interview, Yakovlev admitted that the secret protocols were genuine. He condemned the protocols, but maintained that they had no impact on the incorporation of the Baltic states. Thus Moscow reversed its long-standing position that the secret protocols did not exist or were forgeries, but did not concede that events of 1940 constituted an occupation. It was clearly not enough to satisfy the Baltics and on 22 August,

20520-513: The leader of East Germany, Honecker was viewed as a dictator. During his leadership, the country had close ties to the Soviet Union , which maintained a large army in the country. Honecker's political career began in the 1930s when he became an official of the Communist Party of Germany , a position for which he was imprisoned by the Nazis . Following World War II , he was freed by the Soviet army and relaunched his political activities, founding

20691-480: The limited sovereignty of its member states, and announced "freedom of choice". The Bucharest statement prescribed that its signatories henceforth developed their "own political line, strategy and tactics without external intervention". This called into question the Soviet guarantee of existence for the Communist states in Europe. Already in May 1989 Hungary had begun dismantling its border with Austria , creating

20862-498: The main task under his New System of Economic Socialism to in fact be the "unity of economic and social politics", essentially through which living standards (with increased consumer goods) would be raised in exchange for political loyalty. Tensions had already led to his once-mentor Ulbricht removing Honecker from the position of Second Secretary in July 1970, only for the Soviet leadership to swiftly reinstate him. Honecker played up

21033-550: The matter claims this information was contained in a large red briefcase found in Mielke's possession in 1990. After three hours the Politburo voted to remove Honecker. In accordance with longstanding practice, Honecker voted for his own removal. When the public announcement was made, it was branded as a voluntary decision on Honecker's part, ostensibly "due to health reasons". Krenz was unanimously elected as his successor as General Secretary. Three weeks after Honecker's ousting

21204-522: The moment of signing". The declaration said that the question of the Baltics was a "problem of inalienable human rights " and accused the European community of "double standards" and turning a blind eye to the "last colonies of Hitler–Stalin era". On the day of the protest, Pravda published an editorial titled "Only the Facts". It was a collection of quotes from pro-independence activists intended to show

21375-415: The name "Black Ribbon Day" originated in protests held in western countries against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, which gained prominence in the years leading up to the Revolutions of 1989 . Canadian and other Western communities of refugees from the Soviet Union were instrumental in establishing Black Ribbon Day as "a day of protest against the Soviet Union" during the Cold War in 1986. Markus Hess of

21546-492: The new memorial day is in accordance with the European practice that marks 23 August as the day of remembrance of victims of Stalinism and Nazism. On 23 August 2011, Croatia marked the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism for the first time. Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor said: "We especially pay tribute to the victims of Nazism and the ustasha regime in Croatia. However, we are now also trying to pave

21717-566: The newly founded Communist Party of Germany in 1990, remaining a member until his death. During November the People's Chamber had already set up a committee to investigate corruption and abuses of office, with Honecker being alleged to have received annual donations from the National Academy of Architecture of around 20,000 marks as an "honorary member". On 5 December 1989 the chief public prosecutor in East Germany formally launched

21888-601: The non-intervention of the Soviet Union opened the floodgates. Thus the united front of the Eastern Bloc was broken. The reaction to this from Erich Honecker in the Daily Mirror of 19 August 1989 was too late and showed the current loss of power: "Habsburg distributed leaflets far into Poland, on which the East German holidaymakers were invited to a picnic. When they came to the picnic, they were given gifts, food and Deutsche Mark, and then they were persuaded to come to

22059-537: The office around 125 East German citizens were killed while trying to reach the West. After the Federal Republic had secured an agreement with the Soviet Union on cooperation and a policy of non-violence, it became possible to reach a similar agreement with the GDR. The Basic Treaty between East and West Germany in 1972 sought to normalise contacts between the two governments. East Germany also participated in

22230-421: The ongoing historical investigation of the totalitarian regimes. By acting in a concerted manner, we can counter more effectively disinformation campaigns and attempts to manipulate historical facts. We must stand together against totalitarianism." David Sassoli , the president of the European Parliament, noted on 23 August 2019 that "on this remembrance day our minds turn to the victims of Nazism and Stalinism as

22401-613: The past is never really dead and we do not forget the dark night of totalitarianism. In this memory we find the strength and value of the peace and prosperity our Union has brought." On Black Ribbon Day in 2020, around 50,000 people joined hands in a human chain called the Freedom Way that stretched from Cathedral Square in Vilnius to Medininkai at the Belarus border to support democracy in Belarus  and express solidarity with

22572-419: The patient of the suspected cancer; other sources say the tumour was simply undetected. As a result of this operation, Honecker was away from his office until late September 1989. Back in office, Honecker had to contend with the rising number and strength of demonstrations across East Germany that had first been sparked by reports in the West German media of fraudulent results in local elections on 7 May 1989,

22743-549: The peace, petty vandalism, and other offences. About 13,000 demonstrated in the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic which was also affected by the secret protocol. A demonstration was held by the Baltic émigré and German sympathizers in front of the Soviet embassy in Bonn , then West Germany . Most estimates of the number of participants vary between one and two million. Reuters News reported

22914-449: The period leading up to his trial. On 12 May 1992, while under protection in the Chilean embassy in Moscow, Honecker, along with several co-defendants, including Erich Mielke , Willi Stoph , Heinz Kessler , Fritz Streletz and Hans Albrecht , were accused in a 783-page indictment of taking part in the "collective manslaughter" of 68 people as they attempted to flee East Germany. It was alleged that Honecker, in his role as Chairman of

23085-548: The possible consequences could be catastrophic to these nations. A question could arise as to their very existence." Declaration of the Central Committee on the situation in the Soviet Baltic republics, 26 August On 26 August 1989, a pronouncement from the Central Committee of the Communist Party was read during the opening 19 minutes of Vremya , the main evening news program on Soviet television. It

23256-538: The pronouncement, such developments would lead to an "abyss" and "catastrophic" consequences. The workers and peasants were called on to save the situation and defend Soviet ideals. Overall, there were mixed messages: while indirectly threatening the use of force, it also placed hopes that the conflict could be solved via diplomatic means. It was interpreted that the Central Committee had not yet decided which way to go and had left both possibilities open. The call to pro-Soviet masses illustrated that Moscow believed it still had

23427-476: The region, initially relocating to Paris. On 28 August 1935 he illegally travelled to Berlin under the alias "Marten Tjaden", with a printing press in his luggage. From there he worked closely together with KPD official Herbert Wehner in opposition/resistance to the Nazi state. On 4 December 1935 Honecker was detained by the Gestapo and until 1937 remanded in Berlin's Moabit detention centre. On 3 July 1937 he

23598-410: The remaining twelve cases would be the subject of the trial to begin on 12 November 1992. The question of under which laws the former East German leader could be tried was highly controversial and, in the view of many jurists, the process had an uncertain outcome. During his 70-minute-long statement to the court on 3 December 1992, Honecker said that he had political responsibility for the building of

23769-413: The remembrance day. In 2019 the European Parliament adopted its resolution titled " Importance of European remembrance for the future of Europe ", that accused "the current Russian leadership [of distorting] historical facts and [whitewashing] crimes committed by the Soviet totalitarian regime", which the resolution described as an "information war waged against democratic Europe;" the resolution highlighted

23940-434: The respect of the rule of law. We must offer the victims of those crimes, and their family members, sympathy, understanding and recognition of their suffering. Every victim of any totalitarian regime has the same human dignity and deserves justice, remembrance and recognition by all of us. On 23 August 2014, EU justice commissioner Martine Reicherts emphasised that the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact "of Nazi Germany under Hitler and

24111-524: The same destruction, and a basic characteristic for both is inhumanity." On 17 July 2009, the Parliament of Latvia adopted 23 August as the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism, under a proposal of the Civic Union . Lithuania in 2009 officially renamed "Black Ribbon Day" (23 August) to "European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism and Day of the Baltic Way",

24282-603: The same results he had labelled a "convincing reflection" of the populace's faith in his leadership. He also had to deal with a new refugee problem. Several thousand East Germans tried to go to West Germany by way of Czechoslovakia , only to have that government bar them from passing. Several thousands of them headed straight for the West German embassy in Prague and demanded safe passage to West Germany. With some reluctance, Honecker allowed them to go – but forced them to go back through East Germany on sealed trains and stripped them of their East German citizenship. Several members of

24453-434: The situation. On 19–20 September, the Central Committee of the Communist Party convened to discuss the nationality question – something Mikhail Gorbachev had been postponing since early 1988. The plenum did not specifically address the situation in the Baltic states and reaffirmed old principles regarding the centralised Soviet Union and the dominant role of the Russian language . It did promise some increase in autonomy, but

24624-477: The socialist planned economy . Frictions between him and Honecker had grown over these policies and numerous additional issues from 1985 onward. East Germany refused to implement similar reforms, with Honecker reportedly telling Gorbachev: "We have done our perestroika; we have nothing to restructure". Gorbachev grew to dislike Honecker, and by 1988 was lumping him in with Bulgaria's Todor Zhivkov , Czechoslovakia's Gustáv Husák and Romania's Nicolae Ceaușescu as

24795-434: The suppressed uprising of June 1953 , Honecker sided with First Secretary Walter Ulbricht, despite the majority of the Politburo attempting to depose Ulbricht in favour of Rudolf Herrnstadt . Honecker himself though faced questioning from party members about his inadequate qualifications for his position. On 27 May 1955 he handed the Presidency of the FDJ over to Karl Namokel , and departed for Moscow to study for two years at

24966-399: The thawing East-West German relationship as Ulbricht's strategy, to win the support of the Soviet leadership under Leonid Brezhnev . With this secured, Honecker was appointed First Secretary (from 1976 titled general secretary) of the Central Committee on 3 May 1971 after the Soviet leadership forced Ulbricht to step aside "for health reasons". After also succeeding Ulbricht as Chairman of

25137-885: The unacceptable anti-Soviet nature of their work. The chain connected the three Baltic capitals – Vilnius , Riga , and Tallinn . It ran from Vilnius along the A2 highway through Širvintos and Ukmergė to Panevėžys , then along the Via Baltica through Pasvalys to Bauska in Latvia and through Iecava and Ķekava to Riga ( Bauska highway , Ziepniekkalna street, Mūkusalas street, Stone bridge , Kaļķu street, Brīvības street) and then along road A2 , through Vangaži , Sigulda , Līgatne , Mūrnieki and Drabeši , to Cēsis , from there, through Lode, to Valmiera and then through Jēči , Lizdēni , Rencēni  [ et ] , Oleri , Rūjiena and Ķoņi to Estonian town Karksi-Nuia and from there through Viljandi , Türi and Rapla to Tallinn. The demonstrators peacefully linked hands for 15 minutes at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT ). Later,

25308-399: The victims of Stalinism and Nazism. The resolution was introduced by Liberal MP Bob Rae and co-sponsored by Borys Wrzesnewskyj . The Central and Eastern European Council of Canada, representing 4 million Canadians, has organised annual Black Ribbon Day commemorations in cities across Canada since 2010. On 21 July 2010, in a unanimous vote, the Parliament of Georgia instituted

25479-427: The way for investigations into communist crimes and to cease treating that issue as a taboo. We must remember all victims equally." The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism is officially commemorated by the government of the Czech Republic, which also initiated its establishment. On 18 June 2009, the Parliament of Estonia amended the law on holidays and memorials, and adopted 23 August as

25650-414: The world to pay tribute to the victims of Communism and Nazism in Europe. We express our solidarity with the survivors and their descendants, and with all those who face violence, loss of dignity, and repression from authoritarian and totalitarian regimes." From the onset, Black Ribbon Day was attacked by the Soviet government in the 1980s. The Soviet Union continued to deny the events of 23 August 1939 and

25821-428: Was commander-in-chief of the Army . A bloodbath was averted only when local party officials themselves ordered the troops to pull back. In the following week, Honecker faced a torrent of criticism. This gave his Politburo comrades the impetus they needed to replace him. After a crisis meeting of the Politburo on 10–11 October 1989, Honecker's planned state visit to Denmark was cancelled and, despite his resistance, at

25992-407: Was a German communist politician who led the German Democratic Republic ( East Germany ) from 1971 until shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. He held the posts of General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and Chairman of the National Defence Council ; in 1976, he replaced Willi Stoph as Chairman of the State Council , the official head of state . As

26163-499: Was a skilled roofer. During an Allied bombing raid on 6 March 1945 he managed to escape and hid himself at the apartment of Lotte Grund, a female prison guard. After several days she persuaded him to turn himself in and his escape was then covered up by the guard. After the liberation of the prisons by advancing Soviet troops on 27 April 1945, Honecker remained in Berlin. His "escape" from prison and his relationships during his captivity later led to him experiencing difficulties within

26334-422: Was a sternly worded warning about growing "nationalist, extremist groups" which advanced "anti-socialist and anti-Soviet" agendas. The announcement claimed that these groups discriminated against ethnic minorities and terrorised those still loyal to Soviet ideals. Local authorities were openly criticised for their failure to stop these activists. The Baltic Way was referred to as a "nationalist hysteria". According to

26505-549: Was accepted by the committee in February 1986. The committee launched its campaign for the first Black Ribbon Day by organising committees in 21 cities worldwide. Television commercials describing the Molotov Ribbentrop Pact and its secret protocols and aftermath were broadcast nationally in Canada. On 23 August 1986, Black Ribbon Day demonstrations were held in 21 western cities, including New York City , Ottawa , London , Stockholm , Seattle , Los Angeles , Perth, Australia and Washington DC . The demonstrations were coordinated by

26676-481: Was adopted as an official day of remembrance for victims of totalitarianism by international bodies and various countries after it was proposed by the 2008 Prague Declaration , initiated by the Czech government and signed by (among others) Václav Havel , Joachim Gauck , Vytautas Landsbergis , Emanuelis Zingeris , and Łukasz Kamiński on 3 June 2008. The declaration concluded the conference European Conscience and Communism. This international conference took place at

26847-418: Was adopted nearly unanimously, stated that Europe had "experienced two major totalitarian regimes, Nazi and Stalinist, which brought about genocide, violations of human rights and freedoms, war crimes and crimes against humanity," urged all OSCE members to take a "united stand against all totalitarian rule from whatever ideological background" and condemned "the glorification of the totalitarian regimes, including

27018-400: Was again released from custody: The district court had annulled the arrest warrant and, due to medical reports, certified him unfit for detention and interrogation. Lacking a home, Honecker instructed his lawyer Wolfgang Vogel to ask the Evangelical Church in Berlin-Brandenburg for help. Pastor Uwe Holmer , leader of the Hoffnungstal Institute in Lobetal, Bernau bei Berlin, offered the couple

27189-410: Was already, for Erich Honecker, socialism. As the reform movement spread throughout Central and Eastern Europe, mass demonstrations against the East German government erupted, most prominently in Leipzig —the first of several demonstrations which took place on Monday nights across the country. In response, an elite paratroop unit was dispatched to Leipzig—almost certainly on Honecker's orders, since he

27360-439: Was also supported by the 2009 Vilnius Declaration of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly . 23 August was chosen to coincide with the date of the signing of the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact , a 1939 non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany which contained a protocol dividing Romania , Poland , Lithuania , Latvia , Estonia , and Finland into designated Soviet and German spheres of influence . The treaty

27531-564: Was born on 25 August 1912 during the period in which the family resided on Max-Braun-Straße, before later moving to Kuchenbergstraße 88 in the present-day Neunkirchen city district of Wiebelskirchen . After World War I , the Territory of the Saar Basin was occupied by France. This change from the strict rule of Ferdinand Eduard von Stumm to French military occupation provided the backdrop for what Wilhelm Honecker understood as proletarian exploitation, and introduced young Erich to communism. After his tenth birthday in 1922, Erich Honecker became

27702-423: Was contradictory and failed to address the underlying reasons for the conflict. The human chain helped to publicise the Baltic cause around the world and symbolised solidarity among the Baltic peoples. The positive image of the non-violent Singing Revolution spread among the western media. The activists, including Vytautas Landsbergis , used the increased exposure to position the debate over Baltic independence as

27873-449: Was described by the European Parliament's president Jerzy Buzek in 2010 as "the collusion of the two worst forms of totalitarianism in the history of humanity." The remembrance day is part of a common European response to Russian disinformation that seeks to deny Soviet war crimes and other atrocities and justify Soviet invasions and occupations. Vladimir Putin 's Russian government has attacked it for its condemnation of Stalinism. In

28044-430: Was forced to resign by the SED Politburo in October 1989 in a bid to improve the government's image in the eyes of the public; the effort was unsuccessful, and the regime would collapse entirely the following month. Following German reunification in 1990, Honecker sought asylum in the Chilean embassy in Moscow, but was extradited back to Germany in 1992, after the fall of the Soviet Union , to stand trial for his role in

28215-408: Was not enforceable because Honecker lay under the protection of Soviet authorities in Beelitz. On 13 March 1991 the Honeckers fled Germany from the Soviet-controlled Sperenberg Airfield to Moscow on a military jet with the aid of Soviet hardliners. The German Chancellery had only been informed by Soviet diplomats about the Honeckers’ flight to Moscow one hour in advance. It limited its response to

28386-421: Was officially commemorated for the first time after 21 years of 23 August not having been celebrated as an official holiday since the Romanian Revolution , as that day marked both Romania's loss of most of the region that is now Moldova and parts of Ukraine, with Romanian-speaking communities, as a result of the provisions of the aforementioned Pact ( see Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina ) and

28557-430: Was one of the statesmen, alongside Václav Havel , who proposed the establishment of the remembrance day. The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Stalinism and Nazism has been observed by various German government bodies, including the federal government. One of the first government bodies to observe the day was the Federal Foundation for the Reappraisal of the SED Dictatorship , a federal government entity created by

28728-425: Was sentenced to ten years imprisonment for the "preparation of high treason alongside the severe falsification of documents". Honecker spent the majority of his incarceration in the Brandenburg-Görden Prison , where he also carried out tasks as a handyman. In early 1945 he was moved to the Barnimstrasse women's prison in Berlin due to good behaviour and to be put to work repairing the bomb-damaged building, as he

28899-434: Was set alight. The protesters held candles and pre-war national flags decorated with black ribbons in memory of the victims of the Soviet terror: Forest Brothers , deportees to Siberia , political prisoners, and other " enemies of the people ". In Moscow's Pushkin Square , ranks of special riot police were employed when a few hundred people tried to stage a sympathy demonstration. TASS said 75 were detained for breaches of

29070-487: Was unchallenged as the top level of East Germany's ruling class. Honecker's closest colleague was Joachim Herrmann , the SED's Agitation and Propaganda Secretary. Alongside him, Honecker held daily meetings concerning the party's media representation in which the layout of the party's own newspaper Neues Deutschland , as well as the sequencing of news items in the national news bulletin Aktuelle Kamera , were determined. Under Honecker's leadership, East Germany adopted

29241-416: Was willing to serve in the German army. In May 1945 Honecker was "picked up" by chance in Berlin by Hans Mahle and taken to the Ulbricht Group , a collective of exiled German communists that had returned from the Soviet Union to Germany after the end of the Nazi regime. Through Waldemar Schmidt , Honecker befriended Walter Ulbricht , who had not been aware of him at that point. Honecker's future role in

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