Mayor: Leipzig is ‘going global’

Lord Mayor Tiefensee, at left.

Lord Mayor Wolfgang Tiefensee, Leipzig’s progressive “Oberburgermeiester” came into office in 1998. Since then, he has proven to be an effective leader in grappling with the challenge facing the city as it struggles with the economic and social changes brought on by German reunification.

Mayor Tiefensee, a tall man of 46, has a political career that can be traced back to September 1989 as a participant in the famous Monday meetings at St. Nikolai Church in Leipzig. These “prayer vigils” led to a movement for civil rights throughout eastern Germany that is now called “The Peaceful Revolution.”

Like many other political leaders in Eastern Germany, Tiefensee is concerned about the continued dependence in the economies of Eastern Germany on subsidies from the German government and the European Union.

“We are striving to become competitive in a global economy,” he says.

The mayor has had to deal with many local issues, such as mounting housing problems, neo-Nazi demonstrations and persistent high unemployment, but his personal abilities as a leader of Leipzig are gaining notice. Mayor Tiefensee, who is a member of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder’s ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), is considered by some to have a bright political future.

“I would gladly have you as my successor,” current Saxon Governor Kurt Biedenkopf, a member of the conservative CDU party, reportedly told him. “However, you are unfortunately in the wrong party.”—

On the 9th of October, 1989, tens of thousands of people demonstrated on the ring road around the city centre after the Monday peace prayer, shouting “We are the people” - “No Violence”.

These slogans conveyed longing and hope for a life free from hegomony and narrow limitations, free from bans on speaking and ideological ignorance. One month later the Berlin wall came down. After four decades of separation, thus began the birth of German reunification.

St Nicholas’s Church and the 9th of October are symbols. They invite to reflect on the time we live through and which some people call a turning point of history. From some weeks ago up to now we have been experiencing how vulnerable and how endangered our laws and our peace really are. We know: the conjunction of peace and freedom cannot be taken for granted. The people of Leipzig are very much aware of this.

With our peaceful revolution we had primarily aimed at one goal: peace and security within a consolidated democratic society. The care for the future of democracy is what we regard as the legacy of our peaceful revolution. The terrorist attacks of the 11th of September 2001 have shown that we have to fight for the protection of our democracy - on a large scale as well as on a small scale. This is what the people of Leipzig courageously stand up for.

To Leipzig, the 9th of October is a day of democracy and civic courage. Civic courage also means to have the right to voice differing opinions. Civic courage is about respecting differing views, the ability for dialogue, and democratic discourse in order to prevent the development of bottled-up hatred. Therefore, each fall around the 9th of October we organize a string of events under the motto “Fall of ‘89 - Democratic Awakening” in Leipzig.

Various groups and organizations make their contribution. They all are dedicated to the development of democracy and civic commitment, which means a dedication to the future of this city and her ability to regenerate. Only democracy gives the chance for a new and better beginning. In this Leipzig is proving right.

Wolfgang Tiefensee
Mayor of the City of Leipzig