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Germany’s SED Victims’ Commissioner Urges Renaming of Remaining Lenin and GDR Leader Streets

She urges local mayors to treat renaming as a clear signal of democratic values.

Overview

  • Evelyn Zupke said no street should still be named after Lenin, Otto Grotewohl or Wilhelm Pieck 35 years after reunification.
  • She argued that street names convey honor in a democracy, whereas these figures stand for the suffering of thousands of victims.
  • Many Soviet- and communist-themed streets were retitled after 1990, yet some in eastern cities still bear names linked to Lenin, Pieck, Grotewohl and the DSF.
  • Zupke called on municipalities to replace such names with figures who opposed the East German regime.
  • Her remarks were published via Bild and reported by Die Zeit with KNA/dpa sourcing, underscoring that decisions rest with local authorities.