Our project "The European Peace Clock"
The place
Our European Peace Clock documents and celebrates a peace that has never before existed in Europe for so long and so reliably. Relatively inconspicuously mounted on the western facade of Minden's town hall, our European Peace Clock counts the years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds since the liberation from National Socialism on May 8, 1945. It reminds us that the courage and foresight of some people in the past continue to bear magnificent fruit. It also reminds us of our obligation to actively defend this legacy.
How it all began
In November 2018, representatives from Minden's twin towns met in Gagny for a commemorative event marking the end of World War I. They also visited the battlefields of the Somme. In a French trench, representatives from the twin towns of Apeldoorn, Sutton, and Minden conceived the idea of creating a counterpoint to the many memorials of war and bloodshed: a culture of remembrance celebrating 75 years of peace. From this idea and on the initiative of GeFIS, a joint effort of various organizations and the city of Minden quickly developed. Our board members Ute Hannemann and especially Heinrich Wiese spearheaded this project with unparalleled tenacity and considerable negotiating skill. We thank the city of Minden and the Lions Clubs of Minden, Porta Westfalica, and Porta Westfalica Judica for their invaluable support, both in terms of ideas, organization, and finances, without which the realization of our project would have been impossible. Our clock originates from the heart of German civic society.
Grand Inauguration
Our European Peace Clock is unique in Germany and Europe. It was inaugurated during a European ceremony attended by David McAllister, MEP, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament. In his speech, David McAllister, drawing on social and political developments in Europe and the world, as well as his own biography and personal experiences, emphasized that European integration means freedom of thought and cooperation for each and every one of us, a living democracy based on the values of tolerance and acceptance, but also serene, confident strength and the willingness to stand up for and defend all of this.
The memorial plaque
The European Peace Clock is complemented by a commemorative plaque mounted below it, featuring a printed QR code. This leads to a website that recounts the history and individual stories of peace and integration in Minden and the surrounding area since World War II. Witnesses of the period share their experiences, painting the picture of a city that has always been open and willing to embrace new ideas.
What happened after the invasion of Ukraine?
Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022 was contrary to international law.Initially, it led to the clock being draped with the Ukrainian flag, and later, by decision of the Minden City Council, to the clock being switched off and covered with a waterproof and windproof covering in the colors of Ukraine, crisscrossed by symbolic ropes. Like the Sleeping Beauty, our clock is in a deep sleep, waiting to be awakened by the Prince of peace.
