The “Mauerfälle” project: Commitment to democracy and freedom
The concept
As a company that successfully mastered the transformation from the East German command economy to a social market economy, VNG is particularly committed to keeping alive the memory of this time and promoting the values of freedom and democracy. In addition to our own corporate history, as a Leipzig-based company we have a particular local connection to the events of the Peaceful Revolution. Leipzig played a key role in the Monday demonstrations that significantly contributed to the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall. To honour this historical connection, VNG acquired a section of the original Berlin Wall as part of a benefit event organised by the charitable organisation “Ein Herz für Kinder e.V.” [A heart for children]. This 3.60-metre-high and 2.7-tonne wall section is more than a static monument; it is a living symbol of democracy and freedom.
Artistic design
Leipzig artist Michael Fischer-Art was commissioned to artistically rework the wall section. He transformed it into a colourful work of art depicting scenes from the Peaceful Revolution and emblazoned with the words “Wir sind das Volk!” [We are the people!].
Signatures of history: Helmut Kohl, Mikhail Gorbachev und George H.W. Bush
On 30 October, 2009, the Wall was signed by the three “Fathers of Unity” Dr. Helmut Kohl, Mikhail Gorbachev and George H.W. Bush. These signatures gave the wall section a special historical dimension.
On an educational journey through Europe
From 2010 to 2014, VNG organised an “educational tour for democracy and freedom” through Germany and Europe thematising the section of the Berlin Wall. The tour started at the Leipzig Book Fair in 2010. Subsequently, the project made stops in numerous cities, including Berlin, Chemnitz, Dresden, Erfurt, Munich, Brussels and even Stavanger, Norway.
In each place, the wall section was signed by other personalities, politicians and contemporary witnesses, turning it into a unique historical monument. The signatories included civil rights activists such as Christoph Wonneberger and Uwe Schwabe, politicians such as Angela Merkel and Hans-Dietrich Genscher, as well as international figures such as the Polish Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Wałęsa.
Accompanying activities
The Mauerfälle project was not limited to exhibition of the wall section itself. VNG organised panel discussions and interviews with witnesses of this historical event. School classes were given history lessons directly at the wall section to make the events of 1989/90 and their effects tangible, and to encourage an exchange of ideas about the future. The accompanying photographic exhibition “EAST – For the Record”, showing the events of the Peaceful Revolution from an everyday perspective, was an equally essential component. All activities aimed to raise awareness of the issues and of the era, especially in young people.
From Berlin via Leipzig to Washington D.C.
The project developed into an important contribution to the German culture of remembrance. It uniquely linked the past to the present and encouraged reflection on the future of a free and democratic society.
In 2014, VNG decided to present the wall section to the American think tank “The Atlantic Council” in recognition of the latter's contributions to transatlantic relations between Europe and the USA. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution, the Atlantic Council loaned the wall section to the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., where it was exhibited.
In 2015, it was then handed over to the National Museum of American Diplomacy and later placed on permanent loan to the museum. On 7 October 2015, then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry accepted the “signature segment” from incumbent President of Germany Joachim Gauck. Gauck, who was formerly the Federal Commissioner for the Records of the State Security Service (“Stasi”) and a civil rights activist in the former East Germany, had already personally signed the wall section in October 2010.
From the Peaceful Revolution to shaping the future
With the “Mauerfälle” project, VNG has set a strong example for a culture of remembrance and social responsibility. This initiative was an expression of VNG’s deep connection to the events of the Peaceful Revolution, which not only shaped the company’s history, but also paved the way for a democratic future with a market economy.
Today, VNG continues this commitment in a new form: The “Leipziger Herbst” series of events consciously establishes a link with the historical upheavals of 1989 and transfers their spirit to the present. With the motto “We shape the future today”, personalities from politics, business and society discuss the opportunities and potential of East Germany in the transformation process.
In this, way VNG is making it clear that it sees itself today as an active contributor to democratic development. The commitment to freedom, participation and social progress lives on – not as a nostalgic retrospective, but as a forward-looking responsibility in a new context.
Who is behind the signatures?
On the following page, you will find further information and biographies on all the personalities and contemporary witnesses who signed the piece of the Wall during the educational trip through Europe.