Working group for February 13th

Working group for February 13^th

The working group for February 13^th was first called by the then mayor of Dresden, Helma Orosz, in 2009 with the aim of getting important social groups to agree on a common approach concerning the anniversary of the destruction of Dresden in 1945. On the one hand, February 13^th is the day for commemorating the war and the destruction caused through it; on the other hand, it is also used for a protest against right-wing extremists who want to abuse the day to vent their inhuman ideology. As a result of discussions, the first working group resolved that a human chain would be created on February 13^th, 2010. On that first time a total of 17,000 people participated in the event sending a powerful signal of peace and reconciliation. Since then, the working group for February 13^th has organised the human chain in the Dresden city centre every year.