Commemorating 35 Years of the Peaceful Revolution: Leipzig’s Festival of Lights

Leipzig, the birthplace of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, will commemorate its 35th anniversary on 9 October 2024 with the annual Festival of Lights. This year’s event will take place from 7 pm to midnight, along the inner city ring road — the historic demonstration route.

The Peaceful Revolution was a series of non-violent protests in East Germany in 1989, which began in Leipzig and ultimately led to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. To this day, Leipzig celebrates this democratic triumph with a yearly Festival of Lights.

For the first time, visitors will be able to experience all the light installations virtually, through the Explore Leipzig app, available in both English and German.

Event Highlights

The Leipzig Festival of Lights is a key part of the city’s annual Day of Remembrance, alongside the Prayer for Peace and the Speech on Democracy. This year, more than 20 local and international artist groups will bring the events of 1989 to life through spectacular mappings, projections, music, performances, and other art forms, captivating tens of thousands of visitors.

Several of Leipzig’s twin cities — Frankfurt am Main, Krakow, Lyon, and Brno — will also contribute to the celebrations, presenting their own artistic projects. Candles were the symbol of the Peaceful Revolution and so candles and light will be at the heart of the festival. A giant candle-lit podium shaped as an illuminated ‘89’ will be installed at Augustusplatz, where visitors can light and place candles, provided free of charge.

Additional key events include:

• A joint ceremony at the Gewandhaus Concert Hall at 2:30 pm, with speakers including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Marianne Birthler, a former GDR civil rights activist.
• The Prayer for Peace at St Nicholas Church at 5 pm.
• The main Festival of Lights takes place around the city centre from 7 pm to midnight.

Visitors to the Festival of Lights can also download the new Festival of Lights 2024 tour and a new addition to the programme this year is the ‘Festival of Lights XXL’, which will extend the celebration with five light installations on display until the weekend of 10-12 October, from 7 pm to 11 pm each evening.

The Significance of 9 October 1989

9 October 1989 marked the turning point of the Peaceful Revolution, a pivotal moment in both German and European history. The events of this day are seen as the precursor to the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November and the eventual reunification of Germany in 1990. Leipzig honours this legacy every year with the Festival of Lights.

The city’s ongoing remembrance of the revolution, both on 9 October and throughout the year, underscores its importance to democracy today. St Nicholas Church continues to hold its Monday Prayers for Peace, and several museums, including the Memorial Museum in the ‘Round Corner’, preserve the history of the revolution.

Cultural Sites of the Revolution

Leipzig is home to several important cultural sites tied to the Peaceful Revolution:

• St Nicholas Church: The site where the Monday demonstrations began. A small exhibition in the church’s south chapel recounts these events.
• Memorial Museum in the ‘Round Corner’: Once the local Stasi headquarters, it is now a museum dedicated to the history of the GDR’s secret police.
• Forum of Contemporary History: A museum focused on opposition and moral courage in the GDR, offering a forum for active participation.
• Open-air Exhibition ‘Sites of the Peaceful Revolution’: Located at 20 spots around the city centre, this exhibition traces Leipzig’s role in bringing down the GDR dictatorship.

Leipzig’s contributions to the fall of the Iron Curtain are recognised by the European Heritage Label highlighting the significance of the 1989 protests.

Statements

Burkhard Jung, Lord Mayor of Leipzig:
“This year we celebrate the 35th anniversary of the great Leipzig Monday Demonstration. Not without concern for democracy in Europe and under the impression of conflicts and brutal wars. Since 1989 Leipzig has stood for change, freedom, peace and democracy. 9 October is a day of living democracy, commemorating the courage and perseverance of the Peaceful Revolution. Let us together remember the peace and freedom of 1989 and let us draw encouragement from it for today.”

Marit Schulz, Head of ‘Leipzig Festival of Lights’:
“35 years of the Peaceful Revolution is a landmark occasion. With over 20 local and international projects presented along the original demonstration route, and four of our twin cities taking part, this year’s festival will be unforgettable. The addition of the ‘Festival of Lights XXL’ means the experience will extend beyond 9 October, creating an anniversary edition that will be truly special.”