Regular flagging days
The TU Dortmund campus is regularly flagged on several commemorative days and on election days. By circular decree, public buildings can also be flagged on other current occasions.
On January 27, 1945, the survivors of the concentration and extermination camp Auschwitz were liberated by Russian soldiers. More than any other concentration camp, Auschwitz stands as a symbol of the Nazi regime's murder of millions of people, primarily Jews, but also other ethnic groups.
For this reason, Liberation Day was observed for the first time in 1996 as a day of remembrance for the victims of National Socialism. As Federal President Roman Herzog put it in his speech to the German Bundestag at the time, January 27 should, as a central day of remembrance, "always turn memory into a living future." The German Bundestag meets annually on this day of remembrance for a ceremony.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
According to the North Rhine-Westphalian public holiday law, this day is called "Day of Commitment to Freedom and Peace, Social Justice, Reconciliation of Peoples and Human Dignity". Internationally, it is known as Labor Day. It dates back to an 1888 resolution of the American Federation of Labor to observe May 1 as a social holiday in 1890. Until 1918, work stoppages on May 1 were considered strikes almost everywhere; since then, the day has been declared a public holiday in numerous countries. In the USA, the 1st Monday in September is celebrated as Labor Day.
May Day celebrations also take place. They probably originated from the rites performed in honor of Maya, a Roman goddess celebrated as the originator of the fertility of man and nature. The maypole, which is set in many places on the eve, is believed by most scholars to be a remnant of a phallic symbol once used in the rites of spring for the goddess Maja.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
May 9 has been designated as Europe Day by the fifth sentence of Article IV-1 of the Treaty of the Member States of the European Union establishing the Constitution for Europe. This Treaty was signed by the Heads of State and Government of the Member States in Rome on October 29, 2004.
On May 9, 1950, French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman came forward with what became known as the "Schuman Plan." The Schuman Plan provided for the creation of a single authority to control the production of coal and steel in Germany, France and other accession countries. The establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community (Coal and Steel Community) in 1951 was based on the Schuman Plan and was the first stage on the road to European unification.
Until 2004, May 5 was celebrated as Europe Day in the Federal Republic of Germany. This date refers to the signing of the Statute of the Council of Europe on May 5, 1949 in London and thus to the day on which the Council of Europe was founded.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
The International Day Against Homophobia, Biophobia, Intersex and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) has been celebrated annually on May 17 since 2005 as a day of action to draw attention to discrimination against queer people. The date was chosen to commemorate May 17, 1990, when the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to de-pathologize homosexuality, i.e. no longer define it as a disease.
Source: Queer Encyclopedia
On May 23, 1949, the Parliamentary Council had established in public session in Bonn on the Rhine that the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, adopted by the Parliamentary Council on May 8, 1949, had been approved during the week of May 16-22 by the popular assemblies of more than two-thirds of the German Länder in which it was initially to apply.
On the basis of this approval, the Parliamentary Council, represented by its President, executed and promulgated the Basic Law on May 23, 1949. It thus entered into force on May 23, 1949. In the first issue of the Federal Law Gazette of May 23, 1949, it was published with the following preamble:
"Conscious of its responsibility before God and man, animated by the will to preserve its national unity and to serve the peace of the world as an equal member in a united Europe, the German people in the states of Baden, Bavaria, Bremen, Hamburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Schleswig-Holstein, Württemberg-Baden and Württemberg-Hohenzollern, in order to give state life a new order for a transitional period, have adopted this Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany by virtue of their constitutional authority.
It has also acted on behalf of those Germans who were denied the opportunity to participate. The entire German people remains called upon to complete the unity and freedom of Germany in free self-determination."
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
This anniversary commemorates the popular uprising in the GDR on June 16-17, 1953. The occasion was the deterioration of the economic, social and political situation, which was exacerbated by a 10% increase in labor standards decreed in May. On the morning of June 17, 1953, workers across the country stopped work. Demonstration marches formed.
Besides Berlin, the centers were Halle, Leipzig, Merseburg and Magdeburg. According to estimates, between 400,000 and 1.5 million people took part. At 1 p.m., a state of emergency was declared in Berlin, the sector border was largely sealed off, and 600 tanks were deployed. Across the country, 16 divisions of the Soviet Army were mobilized to break up the demonstrations. Between 50 and 125 people were killed. Thousands of protesters were temporarily detained, and 1526 defendants were tried. Two people were sentenced to death.
While the GDR government spoke of a "fascist coup" orchestrated by Western secret services, West German politicians assessed the uprisings as the will of the East German people for freedom and German unity.
June 17 was declared a public holiday in the Federal Republic of Germany on Aug. 4, 1953, as German Unity Day. Since 1990, this holiday has fallen on October 3, to commemorate the accession of the five new states to the Federal Republic of Germany.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
The Stonewall riots took place at the Stonewall Inn bar on New York's Christopher Street starting on June 28, 1969. The bar was a well-known meeting place of queer people, where the police wanted to raid. Queer people resisted this, which led to street fights and eventually the beginning of the queer movement. This event is commemorated every year with Christopher Street Days.
Source: Queer Encyclopedia
On July 20, 1944, Claus Graf Schenk von Stauffenberg's assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler failed. On that day, the Count detonated a bomb at the "Führer's headquarters."
The events of July 20, 1944 are the greatest uprising of the German resistance movement against Adolf Hitler. Those involved came from many walks of life. Among the 200 executed after the uprising were 19 generals, 26 colonels, two ambassadors, seven diplomats, one minister, three state secretaries and the chief of the Reich Criminal Police; furthermore, several chief presidents, police chiefs and district presidents. An assassination attempt on Hitler was made a precondition for the transfer of power. However, the bomb placed by Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg did not kill Hitler.
The events transpired as follows:
Early Thursday (July 20, 1944), Colonel Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg flies from Berlin to the Führer's headquarters "Wolfsschanze" near Rastenburg (East Prussia) together with his adjutant First Lieutenant Werner von Haeften. Haeften carries explosives in a briefcase. Before reporting to Hitler, Stauffenberg pretends to want to change clothes. Since, as a one-armed man, he needs help to do so, he can prepare the explosive charge together with Haeften. However, because he is disturbed by others, he can only use one kilogram instead of the planned two kilograms of explosives. Stauffenberg leaves the meeting under the pretext of a telephone call. At about 12:45 p.m., the bomb detonates. Four people are killed, almost everyone present is injured. Hitler himself, however, is only slightly injured, as the heavy card table protects him. Stauffenberg flies to Berlin in the firm belief that Hitler is dead.
In Berlin, all Gestapo, party and SS offices are to be occupied by the Wehrmacht under the code word "Valkyrie". However, only half-hearted action is taken. After his arrival at the Bendlerblock in Berlin, the high command of the army and conspirators' headquarters, Stauffenberg has to realize at about 4:30 p.m. that nothing has been done except the alerting of the troops of the reserve army, which is to take over the military and executive power in Germany. There is also a lack of clear news about the success of the attempt on Hitler's life. Only now, and thus much too late, do orders for the coup go out, but they are immediately revoked from the "Wolf's Lair." The blockade of the Berlin government district in Wilhelmstrasse, the shutdown of radio in Berlin-Charlottenburg, the arrest of the SS leadership in Lichterfelde and the occupation of Gestapo headquarters in Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse all fail. Before midnight, the supporters of the Nazi regime gain the upper hand.
In the courtyard of the Bendlerblock, Stauffenberg, Haeften, General Friedrich Olbricht and Colonel Albrecht Mertz von Quirnheim are executed by firing squad on the same day. Colonel General Ludwig Beck is given the opportunity to commit suicide; when this fails, he is shot by a sergeant.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia
On August 23, 1946, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia was created from the Prussian Rhine Province and the Prussian Province of Westphalia under the code name "Operation marriage" by the British military administration by virtue of occupation law. The union with the state of Lippe came into effect later on January 21, 1947, thus completing the current structure.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
Since 1990, German Unity Day has been celebrated on October 3 to commemorate the accession of the GDR to the Federal Republic of Germany with the five states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia. October 3 was designated as the "Day of German Unity" in Article 2 (2) of the Unification Treaty. Until 1990, the Day of German Unity was celebrated on June 17.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
Coming Out Day is celebrated every year on October 11. It was established in the USA in 1988. The aim of Coming Out Day is to encourage people to come out of the closet. It also aims to make mainstream society aware of how difficult it still is to come out today.
Source: Queer Encyclopedia
This day is a national day of mourning in memory of the victims of National Socialism and the dead of both World Wars. It is always celebrated on the second Sunday before the first Advent.
Source: Ministry of the Interior of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is an annual day of commemoration on November 25 to combat discrimination and violence of all forms against women and girls.
The background of the commemoration day is the story of the three sisters Patria, Minerva and Maria Teresa Mirabal. The women fought against the dictatorship under Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic and were involved in secret actions against his regime. After several prison terms, torture and mistreatment, they were murdered on November 25, 1960. Since 1981, the anniversary of their deaths has been used to draw attention to the various forms of violence against women and to call for their active elimination. In 1999, the United Nations adopted a resolution officially making November 25 the "International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women."
Sources: Aktion Deutschland Hilft, History and Welsh Woman Said.