Typescript "Aufbruch 89 – Neues Forum"
NEUES FORUM
Typescript presented on 20. Sept. 1989 and at the Academy of Visual Arts – in the photo department
The communication between state and society is obviously impaired in our country. Evidence for that is the widespread frustration ranging from a withdrawal into the private niche to emigrations in huge numbers. At other places escape movements of that extent are caused through emergency, hunger and violence. That is not the issue with us.
The impaired relationship between state and society paralyses the creative potential of our society and impedes the solution to pending local and global tasks.
We get bogged down in disgruntled passivity and yet would have more important things to do for our life, our country and mankind. The balance of interest between the groups and classes only functions deficiently in the state and the economy. Also the communication about the situation and spheres of interest is restricted. In a private circle everyone off-handedly says what his diagnosis is and lists the measures which are important to him. But the wishes and aspirations are very different and are not rationally weighted against each other and not tested with regard to practicability.
On one side we want a broadening of the supply of goods and better provisioning. On the other hand we realize their social and ecological cost and argue for turning away from uninhibited growth.
We want leeway for economic initiative but no degeneration into a dog-eat-dog society. We want to keep the proven and yet create space for innovation in order to live more economically and less harmful to nature. We want well-ordered conditions but no paternalism. We want free, self-confident people who nevertheless act community-conscious. We want to be protected against violence and thereby not put up with a state of bailiffs and police spies. Lazy bums and braggarts shall be removed from their influential positions but at the same we do not want disadvantages for the socially-deprived and the helpless. We want an efficient health care system for everyone but nobody shall malinger at the expense of others. We want to participate in export and world trade but neither become a debtor and servant to the leading industrial nations nor become an exploiter and creditor of economically weak nations. It requires a democratic dialogue about the tasks of the constitutional state, the economy and the culture in order to recognise all these contradictions and to listen to and to evaluate opinions and arguments and to differentiate general interests from special ones. We have to think and talk to each other about these questions in the public, together and in the whole country. Whether we find ways out of the current critical situation will depend on the readiness and the desire for that. In the current societal development it is essential,
– that a bigger number of people contribute to the societal reform process;
– that the diverse single- and group activities lead to a comprehensive set of actions.
We therefore form a political platform for the whole GDR, which enables people from all professions, life circles, parties and groups to participate in the discussion and the handling of vitally important society problems in this country.
For such a comprehensive initiative we select the name
NEUES FORUM
We will base the activity of the NEUES FORUM on legal foundations. We hereby refer to the fundamental right regulated in article 29 of the GDR constitution to achieve our political interests through joint actions in an association. We will register the foundation of the association with the responsible organs of the GDR pursuant to the decree of 06/11/1975 on the ›foundation and activity of associations‹ (Law Gazette I. No.44, 5.723).
Every aspiration, which the NEUE FORUM wants to declare and announce, is based on the desire for justice, democracy, peace as well as protection and conservation of nature.
It is this impulse, which we would like to have met vigorously in all areas with the upcoming transformation of society.
We call on all citizens of the GDR who want to get involved with the transformation of our society to become members of the
NEUES FORUM
The time is ready.
The first signers: Michael Arnold, student, Leipzig; Bärbel Bohley, painter, Berlin; Katrin Bohley, student, Berlin; Dr. Martin Böttger, physicist, Cainsdorf; Dr. Erika Drees, med. doctor, Stendal; Katrin Eigentide, librarian, Halle; Dr, Frank Eigenfeld, geologist, Halle; Hegen Erkrath, student, Berlin; Olaf Freund, photo lab technician, Dresden; Katja Havernann, warden, Grünheide; Alfred Hempel, pastor, Gros Schonau; Rolf Henrich, lawyer, Eisenhüttenstadt; Jan Herrmann, nurse, Brandenburg; Martin Klähn, civil engineer, Schwerin; Kathrin Menge, structural engineer, Berlin; Dr. Reinhard Memel, physicist, Potsdam; Otmar Nickel, wood turner, Dresden; Dr. Christine Pflugbeil, med. doctor, Berlin; Sebastian Pflugbeil, physicist, Berlin; Reinhard Pumb, nurse, Berlin; Dr. Eva Reich, med. doctor, Berlin; Prof. Dr. Jens Reich, med. doctor and molecular biologist, Berlin; Hanno Schmidt, pastor, Coswig; Reinhard Schult, cement worker, Berlin; Jutta Seidel, dentist, Berlin; Dr. Eberhard Seidel, med. doctor, Berlin; Lutz Strophal, music teacher, Berlin; Dr. Rudolf Tschäpe, physicist, Potsdam; Hans-Jochen Tschiche., pastor, Gamswegen; Catrin Ulbricht, Dresden.