Dresden (dpa/sn) - Saxony's Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer (CDU) praises the Free State as the best choice for the location of the planned future center for German unity and European transformation. "Communicating history needs authenticity. These authentic places are Plauen and Leipzig in the heart of Europe. German unity and European transformation would be unthinkable without this history. Everything builds on each other," he told the German Press Agency. As the cradle of the peaceful revolution in East Germany, Leipzig and Plauen submitted a joint application.
"A lively examination of history and the future can be found above all in Saxony. Germany's growing together is particularly impressive in the Saxon-Bavarian Vogtland, for which the city of Plauen symbolizes. And Leipzig has become a leading European science and research location developed, which radiates far beyond its borders. Both cities are also symbolic for the process of the peaceful revolution."
Five cities still have a chance in the competition for the center - in addition to Leipzig/Plauen, there are Eisenach, Frankfurt an der Oder, Halle and Jena. The institution is intended to honor East German experiences of unification and make the lessons learned from them usable. Social upheavals are to be examined from an artistic and scientific point of view. The jury is currently traveling through the candidate cities. A decision is expected to be made in early 2023. Then there is an architectural competition. The center is scheduled to be completed by 2028.
In addition to Budde, the jury includes former Stasi commissioner Marianne Birthler, former Federal Minister Thomas de Maizière, Brandenburg's ex-Prime Minister Matthias Platzeck and former FDP Deputy Cornelia Pieper. Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) had recently shown himself to be convinced that Frankfurt would win the race. The Oderstadt is "the ideal place" and has the support of Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, he said.
