On October 9, 1989, Leipzig stood on the brink - Ten’s of thousands of people were again preparing to take to the streets of Leipzig in protest of the absolute authority of the state.
Six influential figures—later known as the "Leipzig Six"—assembled at a local radio station with a crucial message.
Among them was Kurt Masur, a respected conductor, who called for calm.
The regime’s restraint that night marked a turning point that would, just weeks later, lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
In this episode we trace the path to this moment.
I think we all realized this is it now! We had enough we are speaking up.... We knew that we can change this here and now.Beate Olbrich
With voices from historians, pastors, activists, and witnesses, we delve into the grassroots movement that ignited Leipzig’s protests and spurred the German Democratic Republic’s collapse.
We hear from citizens whose lives were forever changed by the revolution, who reflect on the wall’s fall and the dream of freedom that fueled it.
Credits:
Executive Producer: Benjamin Kanthak
Sound design and Mix: Max Gosford
SBS Audio: Joel Supple, Max Gosford, Maram Ismail
Interviews: Hanno Hochmuth (Leibniz Centre For Contemporary History Potsdam), Christoph Wonneberger, Mathias Burbach, Olaf Kretzschmar, Beate Olbrich, Ilona Prindable & Ilka Stephenson
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