(Kopie 1)
Stephan Bickhardt, pastor and one of the key figures of the Peaceful Revolution, answered questions from presenter Claudius Nießen at the beginning of the event. Bickhardt, once a police chaplain himself, has a very personal connection to the venue and recalls the 9ᵗʰ of October 1989 with deep emotion; for him, it was the moment when the people overthrew state power: “For me, it was a day full of blessing, freedom and a new beginning.”
Asked about the relationship between citizens in uniform and those without one, he insisted: “Critical discussions are absolutely part of the rule of law. Citizens and the police must hold one another to account. In a sense, the police are also a ‘civil rights police’.” Bickhardt thus supported the premise formulated by Claudius Nießen in his opening question: whether the role of the police could not be perceived far more positively as defending and protecting civil rights rather than restricting them. “I do not want to live in a state where there is no police,” said Bickhardt.
“Unity and justice and freedom” – the poetry slammers from Livelryx then made direct reference to this year’s motto of the Leipzig Festival of Lights with texts written especially for this performance. Rainer Holl opened the programme by asking: “Unity – what is that supposed to be?” He went on to explain: “Unity does NOT mean that everyone always wants the same thing, that all people constantly follow the same paths. Unity does NOT mean that there are no disputes and discussions when there is critical distance between positions. Unity is greater than that! Unity also exists when we do NOT share the same opinion, as long as we share the same values – values that are not up for negotiation.”