Demokratieglocke, Bronze memorial on Augustusplatz, Leipzig, Germany.
The Demokratieglocke is a bronze, egg-shaped bell on Augustusplatz in Leipzig, set within a granite ring. It stands on a solid base, and its polished surface catches the surrounding light throughout the day.
The monument was erected in 2009, twenty years after the Monday demonstrations of 1989 that contributed to the fall of East Germany. Those peaceful gatherings on Augustusplatz are seen as a turning point in the path toward German reunification.
The name "Demokratieglocke" refers directly to the Monday demonstrations, when people gathered on Augustusplatz to demand political change. A poem engraved on the base puts those gatherings into words, connecting the monument to the literature of that moment.
Every Monday evening, the bell rings twelve times in honor of the historic demonstrations, while on other days it chimes at random times during daylight hours. Visiting on a Monday afternoon gives you the chance to hear the full sequence and see the square around the monument at its busiest.
In spring 2013, a guerrilla art group wrapped the bell in yarn without warning, making it look like a sitting hen. This showed that the monument can still spark public creativity long after its unveiling.
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