Thuringia's state parliament president calls for unity and democracy

Before German Unity Day, Thuringia's state parliament president, Thadäus König, called for people to breathe life into the achievements of the peaceful revolution. “Unity means pulling together: for democracy, for freedom and for the community,” said König. The Day of German Unity is a day of joy and gratitude. "What was achieved in the peaceful revolution and led to German unity 36 years ago must be preserved and at the same time filled with life - every day."

Voigt and Söder in Mödlareuth

German Unity Day on October 3rd commemorates reunification 36 years ago. The central celebration in Germany this year is in Bremen. Thuringia's Prime Minister Mario Voigt (CDU) is expected at an event in the once divided village of Mödlareuth - together with Bavaria's Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU).

In advance, Voigt highlighted the experiences East Germans gained during the fall of the Berlin Wall. «The people in the East have experienced what is now coming to the whole country. Work, businesses and old certainties change all at once. After 1990, millions of people had to start over," said Voigt, according to a statement. People achieved this with courage, hard work and personal responsibility. “The experience of the East is a strength for all of Germany that we have not used enough to date,” said Voigt.

Höcke demands equal rights

According to the Thuringian State Chancellery, Thuringia will be presenting itself at the central celebrations for German Unity Day on the Landesmeile in Bremen. The focus is on the 100th anniversary of the Zeiss Planetarium Jena.

According to Thuringia's AfD parliamentary group leader Björn Höcke, citizens with a GDR background are viewed as "second-class citizens". The pension debate, for example, conveys the message “that your life’s achievements matter less.” Unity means more than a common state, said Höcke, who was born in North Rhine-Westphalia and spent his childhood and youth in Rhineland-Palatinate, according to a statement. “It promises every citizen that they will belong equally, even if they think differently or vote differently.” The Thuringian AfD is classified and monitored by the state Office for the Protection of the Constitution as definitely right-wing extremist. It is the largest parliamentary group in the state parliament and is in opposition.