Freedom Bell

The Liberty Bell hangs in Berlin since 1950 in the tower of the Schöneberg town hall, which was the seat of the Governing Mayor of Berlin at that time. It is the largest profane used bell Berlin.

History

The idea for the Liberty Bell matured in the U.S. in May 1949, when the National Committee for a Free Europe was established in New York. In order to offer the people in the Eastern Bloc, a counterpart to the Soviet system of government, the anti-communist radio station "Radio Free Europe " was founded in the wake of the Cold War, the July 4, 1950 the U.S. Independence Day, went from Munich to shipment. Parallel initiated General Lucius D. Clay, became known as the "Father of the Berlin Airlift " and chairman of the National Committee, a fundraising campaign in the United States, when many Americans gave money for the purchase of a replica of the Liberty Bell for the inhabitants of Berlin. Modeled after the American Liberty Bell, they were allowed on a "crusade for freedom" to travel across the United States before it was brought to their destination in Berlin. The fundraiser was, like the other activities of the National Committee, officially presented as an initiative of private individuals, but had been designed and supported by the U.S. government and the CIA.

The Liberty Bell is equipped with the following inscription:

"That this world under God Shall have a new birth of freedom. "

" May this world experience with God's help, a new birth of freedom. "

The bell rings in the strike note e ° and was poured with a weight of 10,206 kg from the British foundry Gillett & Johnston, London Borough of Croydon. On 20 October 1950, the Liberty Bell arrived in Bremerhaven and she was hung in the tower of the Schöneberg town hall on October 21. On October 24, 1950, the day the United Nations, the bell sounded at a ceremony for the first time. Since that day, every Sunday lunch was sent a recording of Geläuts of the Liberty Bell in the words of Freiheitsgelöbnisses the RIAS.

The Liberty Bell is rung every day at 12 clock, and on May 1, on Christmas Eve and New Year at midnight. In particular global political events, the Liberty Bell is rung also separately, such as at the memorial service for the victims of the uprising of 17 June 1953 ( 23 June 1953), at the rally for the victims of the Hungarian Uprising of 1956, and at the rally on August 16, 1961 ( three days after the Wall went up ). On 3 October 1990, the Liberty Bell rang in the reunification of Germany.

On January 18, 2001, it was taken from the tower of the Schöneberg town hall with the help of a crane, the Liberty Bell. A low loader she went to the Bavarian Nördlingen, where a crack was repaired in bell body.

On 13 September 2001, the Liberty Bell on the occasion of the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 ushered in seven minutes and thousands of Berliners imaginary on the John -F.- Kennedy -Platz in front of the town hall of the victims.

In the years 1951-1953 a total of 15 stamps of the German Federal Post Office Berlin appeared with the image of the bell ( Michel Numbers: 75-79, 82-86 and 101-105). Two other special issues at the presidential election in 1954 and helping the flood victims in 1956 also showed the Liberty Bell.

An exhibition in the tower documented the idea and the way the Liberty Bell. Here also the 16 million American citizen signatures be stored under the Freedom Policy.

Freedom pledge

Dating back to a tradition of the Berlin radio station RIAS is the liberty bell every Sunday at 11:59 clock in Germany listening to radio culture, followed by the spoken words of the Freiheitsgelöbnisses. The text of the vow is a translation of the declaration of freedom that was found on the arches of the American petition. The text has been and will each spoken by famous theater actors in forceful debate, the constant reminder to the world that freedom does not arise of itself, and life must be defended.

" I believe in the sacredness and dignity of every individual. I believe that all the people of God the same right to freedom was given. I promise to make any attack on freedom and resistance to tyranny, wherever they may occur. "