It is the anniversary of November 9, another fateful day in German history.
Last year, we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, a day of joy.
In contrast, November 9, 1848 was a day of mourning.
On this day, Robert Blum, a democrat and member of the Frankfurt National Assembly, was shot by an execution squad of the imperial counter-revolution in Vienna. This heralded the beginning of the end of the so-called March Revolution in the states of the German Confederation.
“I die for freedom” were the last words of 40-year-old Robert Blum.
70 years later, in 1918, the November Revolution in Germany put an end to the German Empire.
November 9, 1938 (Reichspogromnacht) made it clear that democracy and the freedoms we now enjoy had not yet been established.
Not everyone shares this joy. It is not only people in reactionary regimes outside Europe who are now dying for freedom. In our own countries, people are dying as a result of reactionary right-wing and Islamist terror. The terrorists hate our freedoms. In contrast, we must consciously uphold and defend democratic principles and all rights to freedom. But we know, if we look at history, that this calls for tough confrontations.
We must stand together as equal and free people.
No one should have to die for freedom anymore.
Erwin Kress, on November 9, 2020
