"What do I remember? And how did I get myself involved in the Wende? And in the citizens' movement in general? And in the New Forum?
Both my sons, who lived in Suhl, came to me in October 1989 and said, 'Dad, there are some sort of talks going on in the church.' That was all they knew. And I replied, 'Well, that's simple enough. We'll just have to go along on Wednesday.' I then said to myself that if I was going to be going to church, I'd for sure want to take part in the discussions. So I prepared a text and planned on making my wish to participate known whenever possible.
I watched attentively what was going on around me in the church and how people slowly flocked in. The debate started after a short prayer and introduction by the organiser. I was very nervous but after a while, I plucked up my courage and stood up. I walked towards the microphone. My opening words were: 'yes, we want democratic socialism. 'Yes, we want democratic socialism.' This met with a hearty round of applause which appeared to not only have a liberating effect on me, but also on the people sitting in church. We all sensed the dawning of a new era - no less also generated by goings-on in the Soviet Union of course.
The New Forum was presented in Suhl's main church for the first time the following Wednesday. Workgroups were formed to tackle all issues relating to the as yet to be established new democracy. I joined the 'Constitution, Electoral Law, Criminal Law' working group which for safety and space reasons, met in the vestry in the Church of the Cross. Just like elsewhere, the church at the time was an accommodating accomplice.
To begin with, we practised 'democracy'. Everyone was bursting with things to say, everyone wanted to speak, nobody knew anyone, and everyone hoped to get to know everyone. We had no idea whether, or to what extent, the Stasi tentacles had made their way to us. But it didn't put us off. We started by putting together a new electoral law and then later, a new constitution. Following an appeal to the citizens' movement, the draft texts were sent to a commission in the People's Parliament.
The protests and demonstrations in Suhl reached their high point on 4 November 1989. Initiated by the New Forum, we put out a call for a demonstration. And just as I had been invited to address the other demos, I was asked to speak on this memorable day when (according to our estimations) about 30,000 and 35,000 people filled the square between the Kulturhaus and the city hall.
One of the most significant demonstrations took place in the city hall on 11 November 1989. Having spent a number of evenings in the churches debating, people tried to talk to the then SED party mayor, Dr. Kunze. Thousands of people were in the streets and in front of the town hall where the discussions were taking place. Everyone wanted to take part in the goings on but there wasn't enough room. A lively and emotional debate started that night. Not only did it highlight people's grievances, but also put forward our demands. When it was all over, the mayor dismissed everything that had been said by asking, 'But what does your man in the street know of these things?' The people were outraged. He was forced to resign from his post on 15 November.
During the course of the following weeks and months, I was assigned a number of different tasks and elected the New Forum's spokesman – as a so-called freelancer (composer and former principal conductor of Suhl philharmonic orchestra), I had plenty of time on my hands. I eventually became so involved in political developments that it was no longer possible for me to turn my back on it all. Nor did I want to.
There was one thing I was sure of – and expressed it at a number of demonstrations. Having had first-hand experience of the Nazis, the bombings in Dresden and survived the last years of the war as well as then finally straddling the two worlds once the war was over (I worked in Spires in the West between 1947 and 1952 and then stayed in the East), I wanted to ensure, as best as I was able to, that my children and grandchildren wouldn't have to be subjected to a third dictatorship; to a system that encroaches on our lives, that restricts us and forces us into situations in which we not only compromise our personalities, but above all, come to lose our sense of civil courage. I always knew I had this courage. I'm just ashamed that I didn't come to act on it much earlier and a lot more intransigently."
Siegfried Geißler
