Democracy Bell
In the summer of 2008 Walter Christian Steinbach, President of Leipzig's Kulturstiftung (cultural foundation), accepted the offer of the East German foundry association to present the city with a bell of artistic value on the occasion of 9 October. The cultural foundation invited submissions for a competition relating to the overall artistic concept. The competition invited ideas for a sculpture-like installation representing a Democracy Bell to be placed at the entrance of Grimmaische Straße. The aim of the bell is to commemorate the historic Monday Demonstration of 9 October 1989, an event which “tolled” the end of the East German state.
On the morning of 9 October 2009 the Democracy Bell was inaugurated as part of the events commemorating the twentieth anniversary of the Peaceful Revolution.
The design competition was won by Via Lewandowsky from Berlin and the Democracy Bell was cast in Lauchhammer in August 1989.