Learning something new from the Orange Revolution

Members of the former East German opposition and democratic movement support the Orange Revolution

To the opposition and democratic movement in the Ukraine

Dear friends,

With enthusiasm we view your courageous struggle for a free and democratic
future in the Ukraine. We highly respect the millions of people of the
Ukrainian nation who overcame fear and through the civil resistance defend
their human dignity. With you we see Wiktor Juschtschenko the future president.

Together with you we condemn the falsification of the election November 21.
Falsification of an election exist,
when it is not free, secret an equal
when soldiers, the elderly and officials are pressured to vote for the
candidate of the old structures,
when people are pressured to vote repeatedly or
when ballots are manipulated.

This falsification is a state-crime, which must be documented and be judged
by the judiciary system.

We ourselves experienced in the former GDR in 1989, how the communist
government falsified the election results in their favour. As this lie was
revealed it marked the beginning of the peaceful revolution and the fall of
the wall in November 9, 1989.

We belonged to the opposition and human rights movement and call upon you:
Maintain your strength and patience in this non-violent resistance! Stand
your ground! We are sure - also the irresponsible threat to divide the
state will not divide the desire for freedom of the Ukrainian nation.

We admire your solidarity - one takes the other in at home. Practical
support in businesses, schools, universities, churches and on the streets
will take place in the European memory of civil revolutions.

In this for you and all of Europe historical time we would like to remain,
that the beginning of the new European community with the first democratic
government came forth from the "Solidarnosc" 1989 in Poland. After the
revolutions in Hungary, East-Germany and Czechoslovakia in 1989 we see once
again this spirit come alive in the Ukrainian democratic movement.

Non violent, Christian spirit of solidarity, the importance of personal
initiatives on the street, in the economy and in public life represent the
project of civil society.

The power of the old system, the communist illusion and the mafia shall
have a chance for a new and peaceful beginning - but without maintaining
privileges and oligarchic structures. Together we do not want to make
compromises in the search for truth, reconciliation and an economy for the
common good.

We are aware, that your efforts for a democratic future in the Ukraine
cannot remain without an answer from Western Europe. For that reason we
would like to be active ourselves. We call upon the interested German
public to pay more attention to the large but unknown country Ukraine.

Thank you for all what we can learn from the Orange Revolution!

Your country has landed in the heart of Europe!

Members of the opposition and democratic movement 1989 in the former GDR
Sincerely,
Thomas Ammer (1953-58 Eisenberger Kreis, heute Zeithistoriker)
Dr. Michael Bartoszek (1989 Demokratie jetzt, heute Chemiker)
Johannes Beleites (1990 B?rgerkomitee Leipzig zur Stasi-Aufl?sung, heute
Publizist)
Dr. h.c. Henryk Bereska (1989 ?bersetzer polnischer Literatur, heute
?bersetzer und Schriftsteller)
Stephan Bickhardt (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Studentenpfarrer in Leipzig)
Kathrin Bickhardt-Schulz (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, Pfarrerin)
B?rbel Bohley (1989 Neues Forum, Malerin)
Kathrin Breitenfeldt (1989 Demokratie jetzt, ?rztin)
Dr. Bernd Florath (1989 Unabh?ngige Sozialistische Partei, heute Historiker)
Joachim Gauck (Theologe, 1989 Neues Forum, Bundesbeauftragter f?r die
Stasi-Unterlagen a. D.)
Joachim Goertz (1989 Sozialdemokratische Partei, Pfarrer)
Katrin G?ring-Eckardt (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Mitglied des Deutschen
Bundestages)
Detlef Himmelreich (Ingenieur, 1989/90 Sozialdemokratische Partei, heute
Geschichtswerkstatt Jena)
Martin K?nig (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Theologe)
Dr. Ruth Leiserowitz (1989 Frauen f?r den Frieden, heute Historikerin)
Ekkehard Maa? (Publizist, Vorsitzender der Deutsch-Kaukasischen Gesellschaft)
Markus Meckel (Theologe, 1989 Sozialdemokratische Partei, heute Mitglied
des Deutschen Bundestages)
Heimgard Mehlhorn (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Heimleiterin)
Ludwig Mehlhorn (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Studienleiter an der
Evangelischen Akademie zu Berlin)
Dirk Moldt (1989 Kirche von unten, heute Historiker)
J?rn Mothes (1989 Neues Forum, heute Landesbeauftragter
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern f?r Stasi-Unterlagen)
G?nter Nooke (1989 Demokratischer Aufbruch, heute Mitglied des Deutschen
Bundestages)
Prof. Dr. Heinrich Olschowsky (1989 Neues Forum, Slawist und
Literaturwissenschaftler)
Rudi Pahnke (1989 Demokratischer Aufbruch, damals wie heute Theologe und
Pfarrer)
Sebastian Pflugbeil (1989 Neues Forum, Physiker, heute Pr?sident der
Gesellschaft f?r Strahlenschutz)
Gerd Poppe (1989 Initiative Frieden und Menschenrechte, fr?herer
Menschenrechtsbeauftragter der Bundesregierung)
Ulrike Poppe (1989 Demokratie Jetzt und Initiative f?r Frieden und
Menschenrechte, heute Studienleiterin an der Evangelischen
Akademie zu Berlin)
Lutz Rathenow (1989 oppositioneller Publizist, heute Schriftsteller)
Uwe Schwabe (1989 Neues Forum, heute Mitarbeiter Zeitgeschichtliches Forum
Leipzig)
Werner Schulz (1989 Neues Forum, heute Mitglied des Deutschen Bundestages)
Stephan Steinlein (Theologe)
Wolfgang Templin (1989 Initiative Frieden und Menschenrechte, heute Publizist)
Esther Ullmann-Goertz (1989 "Solidarische Kirche", Theologin)
Dr. Gerhard Weigt (1989 Demokratie jetzt, Physiker)
Ingrid Weigt (1989 Demokratie jetzt, ?rztin)
Martin Weigt (1989 Anti-Kriegsmuseum und Demokratie Jetzt, Physiker)
Konrad Wei? (1989 Demokratie Jetzt, heute Publizist)
Reinhard Wei?huhn (1989 Initiative Frieden und Menschenrechte, heute
wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter im Deutschen Bundestag)