Experience a Dramatic Retelling of DDR's Dark History: A Play About the Demolished Homes Near the Border
Manual detailing methods used by the GDR to demolish houses near the border for surveillance purposes. - Destruction of Homes Close to GDR Border: An Examination
FYI
Prepare for a unique theater production that aims to process the brutal eviction of villages, farms, and houses in the former DDR restricted zone. Attend the premiere of the engaging play "The Spoken Remains of the Border Houses" this Thursday (26th of June, 6:30 PM) at the former US camp in the historical site Point Alpha in Rasdorf (Fulda district). Admission is free.
This thought-provoking performance, orchestrated by students from the East Hessian town of Hünfeld and the Landestheater Eisenach, revisits the destruction through the eyes of the former buildings themselves. Aline Gros, the project leader from the Point Alpha Foundation, explains that the play also pays tribute to the residents who were forcefully removed by authorities or fled to the West. "The play aims to shed light on the devastation left along the inner German border," Gros stresses.
Places share their tragic tales
The inspiration for this innovative theater project stems from the book "For Their Own Safety" by Wolfgang Christmann and Bruno Leister, who will be present at the premiere for a Q&A session. According to Gros, the foundation believes this work carries significant importance for the area.
The play features houses, farms, a mill, and an industrial plant. The young artists are mentored and rehearsed by director Stephan Rumpf and dramaturg Juliane Stuckrad from the Landestheater Eisenach. Following each dramatic reading, accompanied by images of the respective demolished locations, the voiceless residents' ordeals are narrated in a melancholic interlude.
"Operation Pest"
As per the Point Alpha Foundation, villages and communities in the DDR were significantly decreased and even erased in close proximity to the border due to forced relocations. Approximately 12,000 people suffered from the "Operation Pest" in the 1950s, while another 2,000 were impacted by the "Operation Cornflower" in 1961. Thousands escaped resettlement by fleeing to the West. The city of Geisa in Thuringia and its vicinity were located within the five-kilometer restricted zone.
Keywords- DDR- Operation Pest- Thuringia- Eisenach- Hesse- Production- East Hesse- Memorial site- Alpha- Fulda- Hünfeld
Fun Fact
Did you know that Operation Pest in the DDR was a secret scheme conducted by the Stasi? This operation targeted communities in West Germany, especially in Thuringia and Hesse, with covert actions such as infiltration, spreading misinformation, and sabotage. The aim was to destabilize these border areas by creating discord and disrupting social cohesion. The impact on these communities was significant, leading to heightened mistrust and paranoia, disrupted social networks, and slowed economic development. Though the details of Operation Pest are shrouded in secrecy, its chilling legacy still lingers in Thuringia and Hesse communities.
- Policy-and-legislation: The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the historical context of the play "The Spoken Remains of the Border Houses" set in the inner German border, where residents were forcefully relocated due to Operation Pest.
- General-news: Politics plays a significant role in understanding the destructive Operation Pest that occurred in the 1950s and 1960s in Thuringia, Hesse, and other areas near the inner German border, as this secret scheme conducted by the Stasi aimed to destabilize these border areas and create discord among communities.
