These individuals... embody the suffering of thousands of victims.
German authorities are discussing the possibility of renaming streets named after figures from the GDR and the Soviet period, including Vladimir Lenin. This was reported by Bild, citing a statement from the Bundestag's commissioner for victims of repression from the Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED), Evelyn Zupke.
According to the publication, there are more than a dozen Lenin streets remaining in East Germany, as well as streets named after GDR leaders Otto Grotewohl and Wilhelm Pieck. Municipal authorities in different cities assess the need for renaming them differently, but the topic regularly sparks discussions.
Zupke emphasized that a more careful approach is needed regarding such names. "Thirty-five years after reunification, no street should bear the name of Lenin, Otto Grotewohl, or Wilhelm Pieck. The name of a street is an expression of recognition from our current democratic society. These individuals, on the contrary, embody the suffering of thousands of victims," Zupke stated in an interview with the newspaper.
As Bild reports, in the municipality of Jerichow (Saxony-Anhalt), the process of changing historically loaded names has already reached court proceedings. The German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposed the renaming of more than 40 streets, although it previously supported the initiative. A decision may take effect on January 26 following the review of the case by the Higher Administrative Court.
After the end of World War II, Germany was divided into two parts — West (FRG) and East (GDR). The former was under the control of the Western Allies, while the latter was under the control of the USSR and was part of the socialist camp. The Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, marking the beginning of Germany's reunification. The process was completed on October 3, 1990.
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