Commemorative weeks "35 years of the opening of the border"
October 2024 marks the 35th anniversary of a significant event in German history: the fall of the Berlin Wall and the opening of the inner-German border in 1989 - with dramatic events such as the arrival of trains with embassy refugees from Prague in Hof and the opening of the border crossings in the district - were formative for the Hof region.
The city and district of Hof have therefore jointly prepared an extensive program of events. The Remembrance Weeks from the end of September to mid-November aim to raise awareness of the events of that time and reflect on their significance for the present.
"The spontaneous willingness of the people of Hof and the region to help became a symbol of lived humanity and solidarity. The arrival of the Prague trains on October 1, 1989 in particular remains an unforgettable date in the city's history to this day," says Mayor Eva Döhla.
"The fall of the Wall and German reunification were the happiest events in German history. Many events of global significance in 1989 and '90 took place in our region - such as the demonstrations in Plauen, which then continued in other cities of the GDR, the opening of the border crossings or the arrival of the embassy refugees from Prague. We want to commemorate these historic moments and thus also set an example for democracy and freedom," says District Administrator Dr. Oliver Bär.
The commemoration weeks begin with the anniversary celebration of the station mission. There will be various lectures with contemporary witnesses at the German-German Museum in Mödlareuth, the Bavarian Vogtland Museum and in the glass hall of the VHS Hofer Land. Workshops for children and young people, readings and film screenings dealing with the events of the opening of the border offer an artistic approach to the topic. One of the highlights is the Day of Remembrance at Hof's main railway station and the 14th German-German Film Festival in cooperation with the twin town of Plauen.