24 Nov 2011

Leipzig's Monument to Freedom and Unity: International Artistic Competition

Leipzig's Monument to Freedom and Unity: Competition to be conducted for the Monument to the Peaceful Revolution 1989

On 9th October 2011, the 22nd anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, the City of Leipzig will hold an open application process for a Monument to Freedom and Unity.

In 2008, the German Bundestag assigned the Federal Government to erect a monument to freedom and unity not only in Berlin, but also in the City of Leipzig. The protest march of 70.000 people in Leipzig on 9th October 1989 triggered the breakthrough of the Peaceful Revolution in the GDR and cleared the road to German unity. The Leipzig Monument to Freedom and Unity is to be a national monument which transcends over the City through its location, stature and significance. It is to address a wide democratic public and above all, future generations through its political and artistic demands.

In May 2011, Leipzig City Council designated Wilhelm-Leuschner-Platz as the location for the monument, directly on the Leipziger Ring, where the demonstration took place in 1989. The Leipzig Monument to Freedom and Unity is to be inaugurated on 9th October 2014 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution in what will be the newly named ´Platz der Friedlichen Revolution`.

„The 9th October 1989 moves us all', said Burkhard Jung, Lord Mayor of Leipzig. 'On that day in Leipzig world history was made. The non-violent march of 70.000 around the Promenadenring marked the break through. The Peaceful Revolution strengthened the self-deliverance of Eastern Europe and established the unity of Germany'.

Minister of Culture Bernd Neumann said: 'The Leipzig Monument is to remind us of the Peaceful Revolution and of the civil courage shown by the people of East Germany. The non-violent protest of tens of thousands in Leipzig on 9thOctober brought about the breakthrough for political change in the GDR. The courage shown by the citizens of Leipzig and other cities, brought about the fall of the SED regime. That we now live in freedom and a unified Germany is thanks to those citizens. The monument will be erected here in Leipzig it being one of the most important areas of the revolution. It is however to stand as a symbol for the complete Peaceful Revolution in the GDR'.

The symbolic value is one of the main objectives for Saxony. 'As German history teaches us, Peace and freedom should not be taken for granted. Courageous men and women overthrew a communist dictatorship in Autumn 1989. They paved the way to democracy in a unified Germany. The Monument to Freedom and Unity will be there to permanently remind us of that', said Dr. Johannes Beermann, the Head of State Chancellery in Saxony.

Artists, architects and landscape architects from all over the world are invited to submit an application by 16th December 2011 at the latest. 40 applicants/teams will then be chosen to take part in the restricted competition according to RPW 2008 (guide lines for planning competitions). The selection of participants will be carried out by the client of Leipzig in consultation with a selection committee consisting of external experts.

The financial framework for the whole project is 6.5 million euro, of which 5 million euro will be from the Government and 1.5 million euro from the Free State of Saxony. A gross amount of 175.000 euro will be available for the competition.

Further information: www.leipzig.de/monument

Lars Loebner, City Planning Office, Tel. ++49 341 123 4834, E-Mail: lfed@leipzig.de

Image Copyright: Leipzig 1989: child on his father's shoulder. Image by LTM/Eckstein