WEHE DEN BESIEGTEN – DER 17. JUNI 1953

June 17, 1953. An entire country is rehearsing rebellion. But there is more to the story behind this revolutionary day. Andrea Ritterbusch succeeds in tracing the history of the rebellion with a previously unknown intensity using unexpected treasures from the depths of the GDR archives. She skillfully weaves documentary footage with gripping reports of eyewitnesses. With stories from courageous strike leaders to former SED officials and contemporary witnesses from East and West, not only does she tells the tragic events leading up to and on that day, but also the far-reaching consequences of the rebellion. Thereby, Ritterbusch links this dark chapter of the GDR with the Peaceful Revolution of 1989, draws parallels and creates a bridging between these historical events. Although already completed in the GDR, this film was remarkably made without censorship or political influence and is a cinematic monument to the unshakable strength of GDR’s citizens.

Text: Joshua Jádi