The East German Republic Day Parade of 1989 (Ehrenparade der Nationalen Volksarmee zum 40. Jahrestag der DDR 1989) was a parade on Karl-Marx-Allee (between Strausberger Platz and Alexanderplatz) in East Berlin on 7 October 1989 commemorating the 40th anniversary of the establishment of East Germany.[1] [2] This was the last East German Republic Day Parade and the last major East German political event with the regime falling mere weeks later.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] In Germany, this parade is remembered as the end of "the great period of military parades".[9]
Defense Minister Army General Heinz Kessler inspected the parade while accompanied by Deputy Minister of Defense, Colonel General Horst Stechbarth who commanded the parade. Military bands from the Military Music Service of the National People's Army representing three of the four services of the Nationale Volksarmee and the Corps of Drums of the Friedrich Engels Guard Regiment performed the military marches at the parade, including the Präsentiermarsch der Nationalen Volksarmee and the Parademarsch № 1 der Nationalen Volksarmee. The event was accompanied by protests and more than 1,000 demonstrators were arrested.[10] The live transmission on television of the GDR was commented by the reporter Bert Sprafke.
There was also a naval parade (Flottenparade) of the NVA's Volksmarine in the port city of Rostock. It was led by Admiral Theodor Hoffmann, Commander of the Volksmarine.[11]
Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu
Bulgarian Chairman Todor Zhivkov
Mongolian Chairman and People's Revolutionary Party General Secretary Jambyn Batmönkh
Polish President Wojciech Jaruzelski Polish United Workers' Party First Secretary Mieczysław Rakowski
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega