Bus trip to Prague for the "Fest svobody"

In a moving trip on September 30, 2024, a group of almost 40 people traveled to the German embassy in Prague at the invitation of the city of Hof to take part in the celebrations there. Entitled "Fest svobody", the trip not only commemorated the events of 1989, but also celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Germany and the Czech Republic.

The Hofer travel group consisted of former employees of the station mission, the BRK, fire department and THW aid organizations as well as the city administration, Deutsche Bahn and media representatives. The trip was organized by Jürgen Stader, project manager of the commemorative weeks to mark the opening of the border 35 years ago. Also on board was Mayor Angela Bier and Dr. Kai-Michael Sprenger, Director of the Foundation Places of German Democratic History, which contributed to the costs of the trip.

The group visited the German embassy, the historic site that became a symbol of hope and freedom for thousands of GDR citizens in October 1989. The trip was also marked by the memory of these experiences. At the time, many of the travelers had played a decisive role in offering protection and support to the refugees arriving in Hof. Now they drove together to the starting point and were able to stand on the famous balcony of Palais Lobkowitz, where Hans-Dietrich Genscher spoke his famous sentence.

In Prague, the former head of the Federal Chancellery, Dr. Rudolf Seiters, welcomed the guests personally. Andreas Künne, German Ambassador to the Czech Republic, then hosted a reception. Meanwhile, pictures of Hof were shown and some of the guests recognized themselves in the photos. Mayor Angela Bier presented Ambassador Künne with the coat of arms of the city of Hof as a gift and thanks for the invitation.

The afternoon was characterized by exchange and encounters. The program included talks with contemporary witnesses, panel discussions, concerts and exhibitions on the subject of democracy and German unity. Two participants in the panel discussion, Hans-Joachim Weber and Markus Rindt, went straight to Hof afterwards. They were invited as contemporary witnesses to the Day of Remembrance on October 1 in the Königssaal at Hof Central Station. Weber worked for the German Foreign Office at the embassy in Prague in 1989 and Rindt himself fled the GDR.

The bus returned to Hof at 6:59 pm. This was no coincidence: at exactly the same time, Hans-Dietrich Genscher had announced that it was now possible for embassy refugees to leave the country.